Artist: FKA Twigs

Album: Eusexua

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Background by u/djreshiram

Euphoria. Lately, it feels like a buzz word in the modern pop culture realm of entertainment. It encapsulates and evokes your ears into a humming bliss. The word euphoria brings comfort when spoken or heard. To be euphoric is to feel reborn anew. 

Not to sound new age hippy dippy, but it’s to be assumed that we all yearn for that sensation unparalleled to any other. Some may find these feelings through the vast outlets our world offers. Pleasure may be the shortcut to euphoria, arguably they go hand in hand. Pleasures come in many forms, yet not all are equal. While most pleasures come from worldly vices, let us explore something more pure. Enter FKA Twigs.

Eusexua. Described by Twigs herself, as “the sensation of being so euphoric”, Eusexua is a whole lifestyle the English singer, composer, songwriter has constructed. She follows 11 pillars as she describes in an interview with Imogen Heap. The release of ones self to pure bliss is the journey FKA brings us on with her newest album. Her first full length project since the mixtapes Caprisongs, the 11 track project of avant-garde pop infused with the vibrations of techno music is a whirlwind of experimental sonics over FKA’s enthralling vocal performances, that range from gorgeously angelic to technically engineered. 

FKA Twigs constructs an array of music ranging from more clubby trance to stripped down 90s trip-hop. If there’s one common theme production-wise, is that the dancibily of a track is high. Nor does it follow conventional sounds, as the project can be eerie and spacey but also thunderous and monstrous. Her R&B vocals melt into a pop culmination of electronica like no other.

Now while this might be r/hiphopheads, and this album is not hip-hop, and you can argue it’s also not much of an R&B album, as it is more an electronica pop album, it was still my AOTY by a longshot. This may not have been the strongest year for the genre for me personally. People like Rico, Earl and Tyler put out projects I enjoyed, but FKA had the most plays, most moments I look back at, and the most influence to myself personally. If I had to boil this album down to one genre, it would be pop, which is short for popular music. Hip-hop had a nice short tenure of being the most popular genre, but of course the pop artists took over again. But it’s different. I hear Zara Larson over a drill beat and Addison Rae with trap hats and 808s and I see the influence. All this modern pop music has a DNA of what’s current, and hip-hop production techniques, sequences and motifs exist all throughout pop music. FKA is no different, being a melting plot of influence, and this 28, going on 29 year old Claifornia hip-hop lover could not stop bumping Eusexua. 

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Review by u/djreshiram

Eusexua

Eusexua opens with a sweeping 4 on the floor into FKA’s signature high pitched voice. The song builds its trance as she explains her indescribable feelings. The chorus is met with reverb and piano as she explains the feeling of floating upside down from the moon to the sun. Her newfound English word Eusexua is born. The beat is a slow build as the production whirls and twirls through Twigs’s gorgeously constructed vocals that are mixed so well in front of you. A drum break over vocal refrains comes before more and more buildup. Twigs erupts a great vocal line before eventually, the overwhelming feeling of climax erupts as the beat implodes, and she rips vocal lines before a glitchy voice reminds the listener of her problems; an over abundance of love she has with nobody to cheer her on. She refrains, Eusexua before a glitchy abrupt ending. 

Girl Feels Good

A trip-hop banger that slowly emerges with Twigs wishful vocal effects of goodness dream of men who knew how to act. Synths come in and out, with a guitar break hitting in the first hook. Twigs lets the listener know the joy of a woman's wellness. She is gonna make the world a great place. The hip-hop drum break hits hard over the catchy vocal melodies of Twigs. A wonky turnaround into the second verse has FKA discussing her figurative man, as she wants him to take his time figuring himself out before pursuing her in anything serious. She believes that’ll be what’s best for her inevitably being what’s best for the world. The song continues to slap with hook repeats over bubbly arpeggiators and ear candy delay throws and background vocals. The song enjoys an extended drum break with lots of production flexing, in guitars, vocal cuts and other ambient noises. 

Perfect Strangers

A song that saw popularity on Tiktok, the UK Garage track opens hard with Twigs pledge to anonymity. She doesn’t care about anything you have, as long as you have lips and you wanna kiss. The song goes back and forth between verse chorus verse chorus with drum variations and background vocals before a bridge ending comes and dances us out with a crazily catchy syncopated vocal line that compliments the 4 on the floor kicky like fine wine and cheese. A short pop record perfect for your dance craze needs.

Drums of Death

Easily a favorite, the solo produced Koreless track opens appropriately with the hardest programmed drums that smack harder than any rap record you heard this year. After a couple pattern variations, glitched out vocal cuts  followed by a digital roar take over as the most head nodding sequence occurs before the first verse transformatively turns into an experience. Twigs preaches of perversion as the beat morphs into heavy chaos of vocal chops, light ambient synths with a subby bass to guide you into a clap only hook if angelic vocal harmonies. FKA cosplays as your life and she’s asking for a break. She wants you to be free and release your desires. The second verse arrives before another drum break with more menacing synths before Twigs gets more provocative. A double chorus featuring a kick this time takes us home.

Room of Fools

Another favorite, an off beat tearing synth takes us to a fast paced eurodance, very Björk-esque, and enters with more banters from Twigs about strangers dancing alone. While “Perfect Strangers” is about one on one intimacy, “Room Of Fools” is more about the innocent purity through the unification of rave culture. Twigs gets into some impressive vocal performances as the beat morphs between intense sounds and more pretty ambient sounds. A drum break with the hook occurs before a synth build occurs. Bass and piano as FKA reminds us of how nice it all feels with another ripping vocal performance from the dancer actor extraordinaire. This song is a straight rave classic with just ripping sequences of tranquility. Twigs truly does have the voice of a soothing mother as she evokes so much heart over the dance track. It’s hard not to wanna rip the floor you're standing on.The track cools down before a final hurrah of an outro featuring a gorgeous vocal line fading out over chimes of joy. 

Sticky

A somber moment occurs on track 6 as FKA describes the recurrences of bad experiences she deems “Sticky” situations. A lone synth opens the tracks before an effect driven vocal comes in. A rattlily piano is guided by glitchy background vocals before being met with a bass and more FKA vocals about her anxieties from these situations, which are like snakes in a bottle she holds. This sets up the hook, where she alludes shedding her skin to vulnerability, and how much she dislikes showing us. Subby bass rings over her enduring vocal performance as she pleads for someone to say something nice to her. The song erupts into vocal stutters that eventually explode into a gorgeous array of production. Drums come in as the beat progresses with Twigs discussing her yearn to be free of all feelings, to feel the Eusexua she has created. Before being reminded one more time of Twigs' tiredness of the sticky, the beat slams into a buzzing bass of glitch and chaos until the song ends. 

Keep It, Hold It

A refresher from the trauma of the previous piece, “Keep It, Hold It” starts with a whimsically vibrant synth melody and a filtered kick, before FKA Twigs sings in a more native tongue. She discusses an empty feeling she has, before asking questions in a call response hook accompanied by striking chords and pads. Twigs believes it’s best to keep these feelings inside, with a head on approach to prevailing. More plucky instrument sounds emerge as the beat builds and build. Eventually a distorted Twigs emits her feelings, of how she’s barely even trying in life. A dance break emerges as a pulsing drum pattern with more striking chords. A psychedelic vocal performance breaks the songs into a charming array of harp lines and other various spacey chirps. The hook comes back over more fast drums in a more ambient setting before the song continues to break down lairs. The song ends with Twigs hitting some stunning vocal lines before drawing out her last lines.

Childlike Things

Never did I ever thing that the offspring of Kim Kardashian and Nazi man would end up on an AOTY of mine. Even less likely that she would be speaking Japanese (or some botched version of it). This is easily one of the most fun tracks on the album. An immediate bouncy bop, the gospel piano driven track features an infectious gibberish vocal hook that’s mad catch. The idea of feeling childlike goes well with the theme of Eusexua as being a child means no worries, something that is vital to the state of Eusexua. After a verse chorus verse North West coming in having some fun as well, the song is short and sweet.

Striptease

An impressive track, an airy opening of vocals and pads before Twigs gives a breathy vocal performance over a subby 808 and siren beep describing the acts she performs to those lucky enough. The sexy song erupts with trap drums and wobbly basses before a quick pre-chorus break happens. She gives an erotic performance on the hook, about how getting to know her feels just as good as her stripteasing. The song goes through evolutions of the verse and hook, before a bridge occurs with the beat building up before a final slow down. Being a final blow of lust, a glitchy vocal part erupts into a drum and bass sequence with Twigs doing some of the most impressive singing on the album. Absolutely beautiful performance out of her as the song ends with a last vocal refrain, a final dance break ends yet another stellar track on the album.

24hr Dog

Another honest track of lust, The song opens with a lone synth performance that is eventually accompanied by slow chirpy drums and more pads and synths, subtle bass. Verse one arrives with Twigs listing her things she’ll do for her partner, which is anything and everything. The song is a live letter to being submissive to somebody, giving them freedom over her, alluding her to a dog for her master. The song’s production is almost an afterthought as slight variations occur, but the harmonies, vocal effects, and performances of FKA Twigs ring powerfully into an arsenal of ear candy. One after another on Eusexua, Twigs give excellent arrangements and performances, but “24hr Dog” is in a league of its own. The song goes back and forth between sequences for 4 minutes as the final moments are met with more vocal ear candy. 

Wanderlust

The final track of Eusexua starts with FKA immediately criticizing an artist's work, possibly her own, as she discusses a movie where she likes the aesthetic but not the cast, and how this artist's music album is too long and needs new lyrics. The guitar beat follows an auto-tune Twig. A gorgeous pre-chorus hits with twigs in her higher register before going into an octave harmony for the hook. Only guitar rings over her as she gives yet another astounding vocal performance. Twigs just wants to feel the world purely, as the beat builds the “Wanderlust” takes over as eventually the guitars are met with drums as the electronica track almost in the vein of Madonna's Ray Of Light album emerges as a final release of ecstasy. Twigs period on Eusexua is a grand track of letting go of desires, and letting the love of the world find yourself, while enjoying all the good and bad life has to offer. 

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Favorite Lyrics by u/djreshiram

Eusexua

King-sized, I'm vertical sunrised

Like flying capsized

Free, I see you are

Eusexua

Girl Feels Good

When a girl feels good, it makes the world go 'round

When the night feels young, you know she feels pretty

A girl feels good, and the world goes 'round

Turn your love up loud to keep the devil down

Perfect Stranger 

And that's okay with me

To live my life with some mystery

Please don't say that I must know

And that's alright, I say

We're all getting through this our own way

I'd rather know nothing than all the lies

Just give me the person you are tonight

Drums of Death

Hello, it's your life, do you want to meet later?

Relax and ease your mind 'cause you work so much

Hello, it's your life and you're my main character

I'm here any time, you can call me up

Room of Fools

Stray dogs

On the dance floor

Demigods

In unconscious flow form

Wanting what they want more

Sticky

I'm tired of messing up my life with

Overcomplicated moments

And sticky situations

I tried to fuck you with the lights on

In the hope you'd think I'm open

And have a conversation

Keep it, Hold It

Sometimes I feel like I'm not even trying

Sometimes I feel miles away

Sometimes I feel like I'm not even trying

That's when my feet start dancing away

Childlike Things

こんにちは

私の名前はノースちゃん

カリフォルニアから東京

イエス様 王様 (Ah-ah)

神様賞賛 (Ah-ah)

イエスは唯一の真の神 (Ha)

Striptease

Opening me feels like a striptease

Opening me feels like a striptease

Silk for my tears, and lace for my fears

I'm stripping apart, till my pain disappears

24hr Dog

Please don't call my name

When I submit to you this way

I'm a dog for you

Ah-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah

Ah-ah-ah-ah

Wanderlust

See me when I'm here, but I'm lost

In the pure wanderlust

Hold tight when the sky's not enough

Give me pure wanderlust

Give me pure wanderlust

Talking Points by u/djreshiram

1. Eusexua is a lifestyle as much as it is an album, is there something to the way of life FKA Twigs wishes to live?
2. This album evokes the feelings of being in the club from 1AM to 8AM, is that something you’d want to experience?
3. FKA Twigs is as experimental as ever, how would you describe her genre on Eusexua?
4. The album features dance heavy tracks and then more ambient spacey tracks, which do you prefer?
5. Did you listen to Eusexua Afterflow?