What exactly is the feeling of losing yourself on the dance floor? So often, it’s tied up in jubilation, in sweat, in communion with people. And if you present the question to FKA Twigs, the British polymath who has made a career as a left-of-center experimentalist, there’s also the sensation of thorough physical abandonment — a complete, joyful extinction of self, surrendered in the dark.
Throughout her unpredictable new album, Eusexua, Twigs disappears into the deepest corners of the club world. She mashes up techno beats, house production, and unforgiving industrial tones, creating a space that she’s described as “so euphoric” that one could “transcend human form.” Twigs appears as a kind of amorphous, alien-like creature, slipping in between the tracks and finding a new version of herself each time.
The title track sets up the underground vibe as Twigs blends her falsetto with a trilling beat that slowly builds and builds before breaking into a sprint. Her gossamer voice works wonders over the next few songs as Twigs pulls listeners in with her. This is an open invitation to get lost. Twigs knows she’s created a space to tune everything out in. “Turn your love up loud to keep the devil down” is the direct order on “Girl Feels Good.”
The interest in club sounds was all over 2024, led by Charli XCX and the blockbuster success of Brat summer. So much of why it’s worked for other artists has to do with its easy translation into pop. But Eusexua is at its most compelling during its weirder turns, feeling more like it’s aiming to be mixed into sets at the Panorama Bar in Berghain than finding streaming hits. The thudding, unforgiving sound of “Drums of Death,” one of the heaviest and most dense instrumentals on the album, was actually created by the Glasgow DJ Koreless on a flight before he played Berghain last year. Twigs isn’t afraid to add some whimsy, too. “Room of Fools” is full of astral synths, while the stunning “Sticky” is a Björk-ian trip that shows why Twigs has been compared to the Icelandic singer (as well as Kate Bush) in the past.
The metamorphosis on Eusexua is fitting for Twigs, a natural shape-shifter who never quite does what’s expected — and this is the latest in a list of intriguing evolutions. After getting her start as a backup dancer for other artists, she began releasing her own trippy R&B projects, including her debut album, LP1. Magdalene, from 2019, was a stunning breakthrough that looked at pain and heartache, while Caprisongs was a gleeful self-care journey with friends and more pop-oriented beats. It’s worth noting that throughout her career, Twigs has spoken about her traumas and channeled her most delicate experiences into music. (In 2021, she came forward about experiencing abuse at the hands of a famous actor she dated and filed a lawsuit against him.)
On Eusexua, though, the focus is complete freedom and impulse. She recharges and transforms, becoming stronger and at times even unrecognizable. Hearing such a transformation is all the more powerful, given how vulnerable she’s been in the past. She ends with “Wanderlust,” a dreamy, atmospheric cut where she starts searching for the next place to explore. Still, she lingers on the dance floor a little longer. Here, she’s untouchable.
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