Magdalene is the second solo album from British singer-songwriter, FKA twigs. Last week, I reviewed her first record, LP1, and enjoyed it immensely. Her newest album, Eurasexua is going to be released early 2025, and I’m very much looking forward to it, still while I wait, I figured since her first two albums reached their tenth and fifth year anniversaries respectively, I might as well review both of them. Anyways, here are my thoughts.

   We open off the record with the track, “thousand eyes,” which features these gorgeous bell synths, and operatic vocal harmonies. It’s very atmospheric and not super lyrically deep, but that’s okay, because it serves as a great tone setter for the rest of the album. “home with you,” is a phenomenal track that covers heartbreak well, much like she did in LP1, as well as most of this album. The melancholy piano ballad vibe pairs well with twigs’ variety of different vocal styles whether it be hauntingly beautiful singing or distorted raspy spoken word. I especially like the lines, “How come the more you have, the more that people want from you? The more you burn away, the more the people earn from you.” “sad day,” is my favorite track on the record,  as the production is dark and depressing, and Barnett’s vocal melodies and painful lyrics are extremely memorable on this track. “Take a chance on all the things you can't see. Make a wish on all that lives within thee. If you're foolishly in love with me, It’s a fine day for sure.” After that, we have the one track with a featured artist on it, “holy terrain,” featuring Future. I like the sounwave-produced beat as the track features minimalist but hard hitting drums, and gorgeous underwater sounding synths. Twigs’ vocals sound absolutely gorgeous on this track, and I really like how illustrative the lyrics are, as she talks about her desire for a partner who will treat her right. Future’s contribution is a solid addition to the track, and it really fits with the overall vibe of the album. “mary magdalene,” delves into themes of religion and intimacy as she provides her own unique twist to complicated history of the biblical saint. “fallen alien,” is about feeling out of place around others, and struggling to conform in society. The latter is a good track, but it’s definitely not one of the best on the album, as I feel like the production on the rest of the album is a lot stronger in comparison. “mirrored heart,” is a reflective ballad about loneliness and reminders of her past relationships, as the mirrored heart she’s talking about is how the people we choose to be in romantic relationships with, are often a reflection of ourselves. While “daybed,” covers the same themes of loneliness as the previous track does, the closing track, “cellophane,” dives into the ending stage of a relationship. It’s a moody piano ballad, and I admire Barnett for her raw, emotional vocals, as it is a heartbreaking closer to the record, where she doesn’t want to accept that the relationship is ending, as she’s scared of being alone and having nobody that loves her. Considering that this album’s inspiration for being recorded, was the ending of her relationship with her ex, Robert Pattinson, the real-life connections to the lyrics, even though he’s never directly mentioned, add a heartfelt touch to the recording of this album.

     After five years since LP1, people were rightfully eager for Magdalene, and it definitely doesn’t disappoint. I love the fusion of the electronic, art pop, and ambient genres on the record, as it is out of the ordinary, and fuses together well, while also continuing with FKA Twigs’ unique sound. All of the music I’ve heard from her I have absolutely loved, as she’s individualistic with not only her voice, but her choice of producers. No track on the album sounds identical, they all sound completely different from one another, yet they mesh as one to create a fascinating and cohesive album. The lyrical themes of acceptance when it comes to heartbreak, as well as her goals to move forward and love herself for who she is, rather than rely on a boyfriend to achieve true happiness, while tying it in to the saint Mary Magdalene, as a metaphor for herself, ends up creating an absolute masterpiece of a record.

Overall Score: 9/10

Favorite Tracks: “sad day,” “holy terrain,” “cellophane,” “mary magdalene,” “mirrored heart,” “thousand eyes,”

Least Favorite Tracks: “fallen alien,”

Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnmDMAVdaPc

Genres: Art Pop/Electronic/Glitch Pop