One of the most elusive artists of this decade has returned! Three years after releasing her last single, FKA twigs is back with “cellophane,” the first taste of her upcoming album, MAGDALENE. Known for her typically chaotic productions, the singer’s newest release is a hard left turn in her artistry; minimalist to its core, the instrumentation of “cellophane” consists of sparse keys, infrequent beatboxing, and scattered eruptions of metallic sounds. It’s extremely new terrain for twigs, allowing her sullen lyrics to take center stage instead of clobbering the listener with her immaculate musical landscapes.
Opening up almost a cappella, the singer implores her (potentially former) partner about the state of their relationship: “didn’t I do it for you?” With her beautifully fragile voice, she sounds as if she’s almost quivering, afraid she already knows the answer to her question. twigs powers through her trepidation, pleading with the subject that she doesn’t want to share them with anyone else — feeling overwhelmed by the mere thought of it. As she makes her way back to the opening verse, the singer’s desperation becomes palpable, throwing the listener into her shoes and making them feel exactly how she is in this moment. Nearing the end of the song, twigs acknowledges the onlookers, commenting that they’re “hoping [she’s] not enough;” with that single line, “cellophane” is transformed from a moment of desperation to a valiant attempt at resilience, and the track is all the better for it.
Rating: 4.5/5