‘MAGDALENE’ album review
Exploring your torments and insecurities perhaps are not the strongest suits of some individuals’ personalities; well, at least it was not mine until last year, when I tuned in to ‘MAGDALENE’, by the british singer-songwriter FKA Twigs. Besides the perspicacity in the feelings detailing and allegories within instances which frequently occur for the duration of our lives, FKA explores her feelings by the mastery productions of this album. ‘home with you’, magdalene’s second track, is about an vulnerable love and someone’s eagerness and willingness to move mountains for her loved one, as seen in the excerpt:
“Never seen a hero like me in a sci-fi
But I’d save a life if I thought it belonged to you
Mary Magdalene would never let her loved ones down”
This excerpt personally touched me for having listened to it after meeting someone in my life who made me reexamine every one of my thoughts and planned plans, something that I had never imagined to do — or even surrender in order to be someone’s hero. Exploring how much I’m willing to do for someone else was something FKA made me do, which instantaneously inclined me to fall in love with this album. But another key-idea in the song is: your loved one knows that you’re willing to be their hero? The manner in which FKA allows herself to expose that to her loved one was something that got me even more intrigued. Indeed, surrendering yourself without demonstrating your feelings is not one of the best matches. This lyric’s appearance parallel to the classical and experimental production makes the listening experience of ‘home with you’ pretty chaotic.
The album tracklist follows with my number one track, ‘sad day’. The music alludes to a relationship in which both parts are hurt enough of love, and Twigs’ partner is running from another relationship which hurted him. “I made you sad before I.. then, I.. have you ever made a wish before?”, indulges Twigs on the song’s bridge. I think that the best reflection of this song is about devotion, and how engaging with people who are not ready to commit themselves to love can be painful for us. Love is about pardon, resilience, and gathering strengths which we usually find difficult to find. If we’re not ready to do so, we shouldn’t get involved with someone else.
‘holy terrain’ is a trap-based and the most mainstream track in the album, where FKA brings an essential question when you’re knowing someone: will you still find me compelling when you know my scars? Despite being my second least favorite on the album, the lyrics are extremely served. In the sequence, FKA presents ‘mary magdalene’, where the production and vocals highlight themselves. Here, the femininity is exalted alluding to the strength of Mary Magdalene, a loyal Jesus adherent who was misjudged by the church mainly after being recognized as prostitute by Pope Gregory the Great in 591 A.D. Here also occurs the best transition in the album, to ‘fallen alien’, my favorite song production in the album. The alien’s coral is something mixed with FKA vocals which makes the listening experience of fallen alien amazingly tumultuous, which I personally love.
One of the most beautiful lyrics in ‘Magdalene’, in ‘mirrored heart’ FKA induges about the ideal individual for yourself, and says that he/she will be the one which mirrors the best of you. But the beauty of ‘mirrored heart’ lyrics is turned to a contrastful end of ‘MAGDALENE’ with ‘cellophane’. The track is FKA’s most personal song in the album, inspired by her relationship with Twilight’s leading actor Robert Pattinson, which she dated from 09/2014 to 10/2017, what made her endure bigoted racist web attacks by the fans of the saga while dealing with Robert’s apathy, since he didn’t came to public to safeguard her. The melody discusses doing such a great deal for somebody, and simultaneously addressing why s(he) doesn’t do likewise for us. Another nuance of ‘cellophane’ is the constant vigilance of an external agent in our relationships, which can be deciphered in such countless cases of our lives, like dissatisfaction of a partner’s parent. In her case, Twilight fans.
Besides being a great vocalist and dancer, with ‘Magdalene’, FKA twigs shows the unique artist she is in the music industry. Her lyrics, productions and music videos in this album is something you can’t find in another artist. Furthermore, as a black individual hearing this album and seeing her construing of her emotions, with FKA, I felt something that our feelings are something we should never disregard — as black individuals, we do it so often we can’t take note. To me, with ‘Magdalene’ FKA represents more than her artistry, but also a whole living.
