I can't stop listening to FKA Twigs at the moment. Online, her minimal R&B is getting brilliant review after brilliant review, and it's all well warranted.
Her album is out and the latest single Two Weeks is so perfect in its dynamics that as the flurry of synths introduces the first chorus, after less than a minute (pop industry pre-requisite), I feel a total rush to the head and the layered vocals take me shoring off with FKA into what might be a rather domineering sexual game, judging by the lyrical content.
Water Me, a previous single, was so beautifully entrancing and simple, that listening to FKA come in with the title of that song was like hearing a quiet fairy singing in some far-away wilderness. But Two Weeks is much more dramatic than that, so much so that it took me a little while to understand that it was the same artist. But once I did, I think I understood FKA Twigs a bit better.
The musical borders she crosses, atmospheric, minimalist dance to 90s R&B, are perfect musical movements, which enhance the layered vocal and the perfect backing vocals of her arrangements really well. The chorus of 'Two Weeks' is big and catchy, but it doesn't lose its intensity for being melodically memorable.
When I hear then that FKA Twigs is a budding novice producer, taking an active hand in the technology that's used to develop her arrangements, and (if that wasn't enough) she's a pretty good dancer too, I'm enamoured by her even more. So, it's a second, third and fourth listen to Two Weeks, and the rest of the album, LP1, which came out this week, is downloading as we speak.
I heard some friends of mine went to see FKA Twigs when she was in town recently (I guess my invitation got lost in the post), and I was gutted that I didn't know she was on tour. I'm intrigued to see how she recreates this balance of intense vocals and sample-heavy instrumentation on stage. The friends, came back with a 100% positive report, so I think I'll be first in the queue for tickets next time.