Rediscovering FKA twigs

FKA twigs at a show in May 2015 (photo: glamglare)

British musician FKA twigs released her third album Caprisongs earlier this year. It sounds like a good contemporary R&B album: 17 short songs with lots of auto-tune and features of prominent name musicians, including superstar The Weeknd. This is a trendy style but does not resonate so much with us here at glamglare.

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FKA twigs was not always like this, however: her first EP in 2012, EP1, is actually an experimental electronic music gem, which was for quite some time only available on limited vinyl and on her website in the form of four artistic videos.

While Wikipedia lists a mysterious “Tic” as twigs’ co-producer, the credits on Apple Music reveal Liam Howes of Sneaker Pimps as a co-writer, and you can hear the influence of updated 90s trip-hop.

FKA twigs released her second EP, EP2, in 2013, including How’s That, which I featured on my old music blog. Her music was so different and innovative that bloggers and journalists scrambled to find a genre for it. Some called it – not very inventively – “Alternative R&B,” even though twigs herself was not happy with the “R&B” label.

In September 2013, singer/producer Grimes wrote a glowing piece about FKA twigs on her Tumblr, where she mused how twigs would bring her complex music on stage. We happened to be in Seattle then, and on the flight back, I listened to the three available songs on repeat.

We could witness how FKA twigs solved the live show problem half a year later when she came to New York for two one-off shows. She performed with the musicians on SPD drum pads, which emphasized the importance of intricate rhythms in her music and gave the spotlight to her alone.

In May 2015, she returned to New York to present her dance show, which was a mixed bag. Since she is a trained dancer, it was fascinating to see her interpreting the music with a dance troupe. But the show came with an odd overdose of masculinity – she was the only woman on stage – that did not fit well with the sensuality of her music.

Today she has joined the R&B/Hip Hop feature circuit and makes music like Caprisongs to critical acclaim. But you have to go back to her early work to hear what a true genius she is.

Song Pick of the Day

Listen to all our daily song picks on our playlists on Spotify and Apple Music.

Mauger – Nr 79

Does not happen every day that we come across cool new indie-pop from Belgium and the more I am excited to feature “Nr 79” today. The irresistibly catchy track can be found on Mauger‘s sophomore album SHINY, out now. While the entire album is fantastic, “Nr 79” marks for me the stand-out track with its beautiful 70s guitar swagger and swirling psych-rock vibes. This makes me want to see Mauger live, and by closing my eyes, I can feel the tremendous energy that would pulsate through the concert venue and the audience. Asked about “Nr 79,” Mauger says:

“Nr 79” is a wild ride through the ungraspable daily craziness, where one tries to make sense out of everything that’s going on. Where one feels like stuck in a pinball machine. It was recorded in the same way — a very chaotic environment, in a building that was under construction. It was a demo, but we loved the energy too much to do another take. So we kept this version.

I am happy that they kept “Nr 79” in its original version because it is absolutely perfect that way! Listen to “Nr 79,” our Song Pick of the Day:

Connect with Mauger here.

Pinkfiz – 318

The Londoner indie rocker Pinkfiz is in a hard-to-solve romantic dilemma. So she grabs her guitar at 3:18 am and writes a song about it that effortlessly transitions from bedroom production to an emotional rock anthem.

Pinkfiz says about 318:

“The song is about having romantic feelings for a close friend and wanting to take the relationship further but not wanting to ruin the friendship. It’s about the tension and anxiety around actually confronting the situation when both people know what’s going on.”

Listen to our Song Pick of the Day below:

Nautics – Crop Circles

New York-based indie-rockers Nautics follow their previous brilliant 2022 single releases “Stop” (with Justine Grove) and “Selfish” with the equally catchy yet more laid-back “Crop Circles.” Their brand new single shows yet another side of their skillful songwriting, with a nod to New York’s indie scene in the mid-00s. Nautics is comprised of Kenzo Repola (vocals, guitar), Van (bass), Levitt Yaffe (drums), and Amir Brivanlou (keys). We asked Levitt for a bit of insight into their new single, and he offered:

“Crop Circles” explores the feeling of confusion, feeling lost in modern life, and love being a conspiracy. We hope everyone can relate to the fantastical themes through a grounded lens.

Navigating life was never easy, and it seems to become more complicated with each passing year. One connector though, beautiful music like “Crop Circles,” makes the journey more pleasant and manageable. Curious about more? Nautics have a show coming up Wednesday, October 19th at Lower East Side’s Berlin Under A.

Listen to “Crop Circles,” our Song Pick of the Day:

Connect with Nautics here.

Uma – Granada

In Greek mythology, even the underworld cannot keep true lovers apart. The new song by London singer/songwriter Uma, “Granada,” is inspired by the things her mother did for love, because she could not do otherwise. “Granada” is a beautifully quiet song built around a Spanish guitar with many sonic details that make its story come alive.

Uma says:

“In a way, Granada is as much about their love story as my own, a moment in time where you have nothing left to do but surrender to the journey you are on.”

Listen to our Song Pick of the Day on your favorite streaming service or below on YouTube:

Dylan Dunn – I’m Not Clyde

“I’m Not Clyde” places itself firmly in your ears after only the first casual listen thanks to its infectious beat and easy-going vibe. Add Dylan Dunn‘s warm power vocals and ready is an inevitable hit. What really got my attention, though, is the insight Dylan offers about his new song. The Nashville-born singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist says:

I really wanted to capture the sense of a match made in heaven that was bound to fall apart in the end, and using Bonnie and Clyde’s imagery felt too perfect to pass up.

I find it remarkable how an (only) 19 years old artist even thinks about Bonny and Clyde, let alone uses them as inspiration to create such a brilliant song. Adam Castilla (The Colourist) produced the track, and together they brought Dylan’s debut Blue Like You to life, with the next EP to follow very soon.

Listen to “I’m Not Clyde,” our Song Pick of the Day, and check out the delightful video too:

Connect with Dylan Dunn here.

néomí – Red Balloon

Breakup songs are often written after the fact and after the mind was made up about its importance and long-term effects. “Red Balloon,” the new song by Surinamese/Dutch singer/songwriter néomi has its origins much earlier. This may explain the intensity of the track, which builds from a simple piano line to a gripping tale about the complexity of falling out of love.

Here is the story in néomí’s own words:

“red balloon was written in the winter of 21. I’d moved into a new home together with my boyfriend and we were going through a tough time. He suggested we write a song together so we went to the piano, sat down having not discussed a lot, and just let the music speak. Little did we know we were writing a break-up song as we parted a couple of months later. Maybe we did know, but we were just very content at that moment creating a song together. I still love that man very much, but love is a very complicated thing as you might understand. The song wasn’t finished so months later I decided to finish it up with a good friend of mine. I gave it a twist, as my heart literally burst like a red balloon at that time. Now I just hope that one day I’ll be lifted like a beautiful red balloon that didn’t rip open.”

“Red Balloon” comes on the heels of néomí’s debut EP “before.” Listen to our Song Pick of the Day on your favorite streaming service or below on YouTube:

On Our Turntable

Let those two albums take you to Northern Europe: Icelandic singer/songwriter Arny Margaret released her beautiful debut full-length they only talk about the weather. Swedish musician Alice Boman put out her second album The Space Between, which includes the irresistible Where To Put The Pain.

Meet Detalji

One of the changes that the outgoing decade brought to music is the rise of singer/producers who do everything themselves, from writing, recording to performing live. Among these artists is Krista Myllyviita, aka Detalji, from Helsinki, Finnland, who creates dark synth-pop with roots in electronic dance music. She has just released a phenomenal cover of Nine Inch Nail’s Closer and is about to release her debut album early next year.

Read on to learn more about Krista’s journey.

What sparked your interest in making electronic music?

From a very early age, I rarely got kicks from ”modern” music.
I grew up while my big sister listened to Depeche Mode and other old school synth pop bands from the UK. And trance and techno music. I developed a dream of producing music myself since the first time heard early Moby, Faithless and those guys from the 90’s. Before that I mostly wanted to be a musician and a songwriter. I also remember hearing Donna Summer’s and Giorgio Moroder’s I Feel Love when my mom listened it on a vinyl when I was a kid. That sparked something.

When you started with creating music, did you already have access to the necessary equipment, i.e. software, instruments or did you need to first find something that suited your needs?

I started building my own home studio when I was a teen, and my first songs made on a computer and a synth were quite raw sounding synth poppy tunes. I started with a PC and Cubase. Then I went to school and studied sound design and got proper equipment. I have tried lots of different software, ProTools and Logic and Ableton Live. I use Ableton a lot. I’ve also tried out Reaper lately. I use Dynaudio BM6A’s which I’ve had for years and Sennheiser HD 600’s. Choosing a mic was difficult but I ended up getting a AKG 414 which I use a lot. I use a lot of software synths like Sylenth and Spire, and my Korg Poly 800.

Your latest song, “Forever,” shines thanks to your amazing vocals. How important are lyrics and vocals for you in your music?

Thanks for your kind words. Writing lyrics is the most challenging part for me usually, melodies come easy. But sometimes a weird thing happens and the lyrics just appear from somewhere and I write them down. This doesn’t happen often, but it happened with Forever.

As a listener I don’t need to hear any vocals, it’s often better when there are none. But I’m also able to enjoy vocals and lyrics immensely. And pop music. It is complicated. For me producing an instrumental track can be more fun and it’s usually more laidback. I truly enjoy playing with the sounds and trying to find the perfect groove for a track. For me the process somehow becomes more serious when you add vocals to it. Maybe because the voice is something truly personal that you give to others when you record it.

Which artists inspire you in- and outside of the electronic music genre? Do you have any female role models?

I do! Surely. Within electronic music I have great respect for Ellen Allien, and I recently found out about 90’s producer Marusha who’s early work I really like. And Nina Kraviz of course. Sadly, there aren’t too many female electronic producers though.

In other genres I’m inspired by Kate Bush, Suzanne Vega, Björk, Madonna, Sade, Róisín Murphy to name a few. And Charli XCX. And the band Haim. They rule!

What is next for Detalji?

2020 is all about making an album and playing lots of gigs! After that I don’t know.

If you could choose, is there any past decade you would have liked to live in for its music, culture, fashion etc?

The ’90s had great style and awesome tunes. That’s what I’m trying to re-create in my music. On the other hand it would have been fun to experience 80s or 70s. But the modern world works well in many ways, so I’m quite content to be living right here right now.

This article was first published on glamglare on December 11, 2020, and is slightly edited.

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