LP1
FKA twigs
2014
Album Summary
LP1 is the debut studio album by English singer-songwriter FKA Twigs. It was released on 6 August 2014 by Young. Production for the album is handled by FKA Twigs herself, alongside Emile Haynie, Arca, Cy An, Devonté Hynes, Clams Casino, Paul Epworth, Sampha and Tic. Upon release, LP1 received widespread critical acclaim, and placed high on several year-end critics' lists. The album spawned three singles: "Two Weeks", "Pendulum" and "Video Girl". The album was nominated for the 2014 Mercury Prize and the award for Best Recording Package at the 2015 Grammy Awards.
WikipediaAn absolute masterclass in electronic arrangement and production. Each track is its own small microcosm of carefully layered synths and samples, a small world that exists for only 3 minutes at a time and fully encompasses the entire soundstage. Some tracks could use a bit more variation, but overall an amazing listening experience.
these songs are like the bridges of dubstep songs, breathy, glitchy, some nice vocal, but then it just lingers there for the entire track, I wanted more out of pretty much every track I listened to. Two Weeks made me have flashbacks to Mr Robot which was unexpected.
Unlistenable in the way a lot of modern albums are. I'm speaking purely in terms of production here, but everything seems to be aimed at being parped through a laptop. Such a harsh sound. Also, I'm aghast at the critical response this album has had; perhaps it's age, but I'm simply not getting the same juice as the critics out of this dud. At least I can now say I've given FKA twigs a go.
This whole album is a mood and I'm here for it. Brilliant production, great vocals, lots of energy (without being frantic). I'm sad that it took me this long to experience it.
I've heard lots about FKA twigs but never took the dive. Boy am I glad I did here today. What a uniquely stimulating album. The textures in the beats, synths, and basslines elevate FKA's vocals, giving the music a certain "wow" factor. This can be partly attributed to producer and artist Arca, who had also done production work for Kanye West on Yeezus and Björk on Vulnicura. The sonic space being explored here is sublime. This album stands heads and shoulders above other pop/r&b albums for 2014. It stands for the natural progression of music: innovative and bold.
I was bang up for this after hearing the haunting vocals and jagged beats of the opening track, 'Preface', followed by the quite beautiful, and a little raunchy, 'Lights On'. I loved it - sounding like someone had spliced Kate Bush with Bjork and replaced Thom Yorke with them during Kid A/Amnesiac-era Radiohead, but told Jonny, Colin and Ed to ditch the guitars. However, it then began to feel that it was just the same formula throughout the rest of the album: soulful voice over the top of chopped beats. Nothing wrong with that and I still very much enjoyed it. So much so that it remained on a loop for most of the day and I kept finding new little sonic nuggets with each play-through.
I didn't particularly enjoy this as it I found it pretty dull and low energy. The vocals were really beautiful, but I probably won't seek it out again
I remember when this album came it was what everyone who was anyone was listening to. it was the bomb, a revolution in music and all that. The thing is, it's been 7 years and it did not age that well, it sounds repetitive and confusing just for the sake of it. Magdalene is a huge leap forward letting go the repetition for a more soulful but still ground breaking sound. This is a great album and an excellent debut but it will not remain on this list for long I believe.
Really? It should be on a list alright. And that list is of Albums You Never Need To Hear Again before you die. This has no business being in THIS list. Hard pass. Replace with Florence + The Machine. Hey, I tried.
She clearly has a voice, but this was dreadful. Just a bunch of falsetto abused over sound effects you could hardly call beats.
Soft sung vocals with glitchy instrumentals. Initial thoughts are that I've heard this before? It sounds like the concept behind every female singer songwriter today, and the execution is the exact same... Everything on this album just blends together and it becomes a bland mess. These sorts of vocals also just make me cringe. Find a female "singer" on TikTok and there's a 95% chance that she sings like this. Whispery and whiny without an ounce of power. The instrumentals, the singing, the production, everything works together to make this album feel as uninspired and boring as possible. It really feels like the album has been plucked from the "music industry conveyor belt" and still has that mass-production smell (it might not be mass-produced, but that's how it feels). I feel like I've heard all of these songs before. I truly can't hear anything unique about this sound. The album would maybe work better if it tried to be less athereal and more punchy and groundbased? But yeah It's a solid No from me... I just noticed that the album has stopped playing and I didn't realize. Perfect background music lol.
Very good album. I love her voice and her choice of sounds to accompany it. I enjoyed this very much.
Yup, big fan of this album. Sometimes breathy / surreal music doesn't have enough substance for me but this album delivered!
What a beautiful album and such a unique sound I really enjoyed this one!
I don’t know if this was just a refreshing change of genre after a week of dad rock, but I enjoyed this. Listened to it on a rainy drive home and found it both relaxing and intriguing, with lots of cool sounds for my ears to chase
I don’t like this at all. The vocals are pretty. Production quality is good. It just doesn’t rub me right. I feel like the only thing this is good for is a radio station in Cyberpunk 77. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Twigs apparently hates the term "alternative R&B", so let's be fair and not call this album that. Try "monumentally boring hipster bullshit" instead.
A truly mesmerising album that combines a beautiful soulful voice with unique electronic music.
Never heard of this artist before, but this is the kinda music I'm really digging these days. Good vibes and great beats. Definitely will be checking out more from her.
Layered, spacious, and slightly dissonant. One of the best albums of the ‘10s.
This is such a beautiful album. Saw Twigs play twice and astounded and moved both times. Standout tracks: Lights On Two Weeks Hours Give Up Tbh I could just write the full track listing here.
Slow dreaming trap with slick vocals make this an easy listen to get your groove on.
Well, here's a thing. I'm suprised at how negative everyone is in the reviews. Yes it's not entirely original and doesn't follow traditional definitions of a cohesive album with tracks but it's inventive and fresh and precisely what I enjoy listening to. People are giving '1's for no more reason that 'it's not for me' so I'm going to give this a '5' for precisely the same reason in reverse.
This is a crazily enchanting album that had me mesmerized. Really interesting and unique. The soundscapes painted here are a bit stark, a bit startling, utterly beautiful. So many layers, such an incredible use of electronics. I loved it!
(a) I can't stop looking at the cover. Her hair, her eyes, her lips, her teeth. The shine and color on her face. Beautiful but disquieting. (it's not a bruise, is it?) The hyper-real/non-reality of it. This image took up a lot of my brain space today. (b) I am completely unfamiliar with FKA twigs, a fact that earns the album extra points after what feels like several repeated artists over the past few weeks (a lot of white dudes I already know and some I've heard enough from already). (c) Like many others, this faded into the background a bit in the kitchen during dinner prep and was much, much, much, much, much more compelling and interesting with headphones and more focus. I'm intrigued and want more.
This is very cool. Really enjoyed Two Weeks, Numbers, and Kicks. But so many great moments overall.
The production alone seems deserving of a 5. She has an absolute amazing display of vocals. There is literally something about every song I find enjoyable. This is another album that caught me off guard. Definitely 5! 1. Lights On 2. Preface 3. Video Girl 4. Numbers 5. Give Up
I didn’t know what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised with this album.
Really cool and interesting songs. Some bjork feels. And some catchy jams thrown in.
Great R&B! Never heard of her until today but I added some songs to my playlist
I was excited to see some modern day music. It was a good album and definitely something I would listen to again. I also liked music that Spotify played after this. I could do Aerosha to it.
This was a bit of a breath of fresh air after the weeks of 60s, 70s and 80s music, and I really enjoyed it. She's got a really unique style that's complimented by the background ambience and beats very well. Glad to have gotten this and need to check out some of her recent work Saved: Two Weeks, Pendulum
I can enjoy FKA twigs one song at a time, but an album full becomes too much.
Wonderful, very new to me but I also feel like I need to really listen to it with no distractions to actually get a feel for it.
One of the things I find commonly about most of the more recent albums on this list is that they are often here more because they were/are popular than because they are meaningful artistic expressions. Not so with this album. FKA twigs feels like she's really using the technological capabilities of the moment to produce a truly innovative album. Beautiful and haunting, sexy, deliberate, deep. This album has so much going for it, and I think that it will stand the test of time 4/5
A brilliantly produced and performed album that makes me want to explore more. A strong four, almost a 5.
Really enjoyed it. Lots of interesting beats but arranged around solid song writing.
This was a weird one. I’m not sure how to describe this album but I think I liked it. It really grew on me as I listened to it more and by the end I was vibing to it. Fav songs: two weeks, pendulum
It's hot, but not as good as I was expecting, and I listened to it in a bath so pretty optimal conditions...
I like this stuff, I think it's interesting. Doesn't feel masterful yet, I think her best work it yet to come.
If constipation makes your day feel offbeat, try listening to this record. The groove will make you sway and loosen that poo right up. Before you know it you'll have an empty bowel and full bowl of glorious, Instagramable poo. Poo.
Pretty interesting. It made me think I need better headphones. I really enjoyed a few of the songs. There was a lot that was too abstract for me.
Ethereal and atmospheric. I enjoyed this album but it is not something I would choose to listen to. Having said that, I’m glad I gave it a listen and hope to return to it as there were a lot of elements that I really liked
Brilliant minimalist electronica, great voice, absorbing, an absolute mood that I am here for.
I've seen this record cover all over the place but never clued in. So, here goes. Open mind. Clean slate... I have an embarrassingly small frame of reference for music like this. But it seems so goddamned innovative to me and her voice is so pretty. The song "Two Weeks" has more than 80 million plays on Spotify, yet I've just heard it for the first time. It's excellent. The synth sounds on that song and the record, in general, are great. I think the production uses a technique called "ducking" where the various tracks/instruments duck out of the way (in terms of volume) when other instruments are hitting. So, like, the volume of the synth drops when there is a snare hit. It's like the next level in the volume wars that people like Rick Rubin hate. I tend to dislike it when applied to rock music. But when literally everything in a mix besides the vocals are synthetic, it's a beautiful effect.
I didn't really like this album when I first listened to it a few years ago, but after revisiting it it's grown on me a bit.
LP1 is very soulful and hymn like in quality, yet has a sensuality that draws you in. FKA Twigs' futuristic take on R&B, melds into electronica quite nicely, and is uniquely it's own thing. Best: Two Weeks Worst: Numbers 3.5 Stars (so very close to 4 stars)
I enjoyed this. It had some cool ethereal sounds that were fun to listen to, though the lyrics were a little repetitive.
При том, что жанр абсолютно не мой, звучит очень классно. Даже ооооочень отдаленно напомнило голос Кейт Буш, хотя это и было в последней композиции.
Weeeeiirrrd. Okay so a sort of tight vocal electronic sound. This is like Ellie Goulding but wayyy more art. The electronics are way more angular, grooves more alien. The vocal textures are at times so lush but always so crystal. This was really great music to read the new chainsaw man to.
Production pop ultra léchée et riche qui sort du lot. Une 2e écoute s'impose.
This album is crazy awesome. Its near indescribable. Parts bjork, parks beyonce. She uses her voice in crazy ways that while layering is nothing new, are done so fresh and uniquely here. My fiance has shown me a lot of FKA and so I have started following her but yet to catch up on her disco. I recognized more than a few of the tracks on this while listening. Part of what makes this album so good is that it feels like an album though each track is a very unique and stand-alone vibe also. I really loved the production on Numbers
FKA twigs sounds like Portishead & Bjork had a baby. I dig her weirdo vocals.
There are flashes of brilliance on display here, but the adjective that most sums this album up is "overproduced." She's got a great voice, as is clearly going for an ethereal, trip-hoppy sound, and sometimes it works. "Two Weeks" is sultry fire, and "Video Girl" grabbed and maintained my attention; they were definitely my favorite songs on the album. "Lights On," "Hours," "Pendulum," and "Give Up" all have their moments, but there were times (especially during "Pendulum") when I wished she and her producers would just get out of their own way and let it rip. This is a debut album, so I'm hoping that she's since learned to ditch some of the gimmicky aspects of it and trust her voice to carry more of the weight. Giving this three and a half stars for what's here, and another half star for the undeniable potential.
Experimental, druggy and deeply sexy. FKA Twigs is one of the most interesting artists around right now. I’d categorize her music very loosely as R&B but the cool thing about her is how little she seems to think about genre. She’s draws equal influence from avant-grade electronic music as she does more conventional “bedroom music.” And her voice is stunning! She can go so high and tap into this big sense of drama. I love it. (She’s got some awesome music videos too.) Highlights: “Two Weeks,” “Video Girl,” “Numbers”
Two weeks is a jam. Breathy and weird and vibe-y. Sort of pleasantly fades into the background
I was thinking she reminded me of Grimes and who is the next artist that plays after the album finishes, GRIMES!
liked this a lot. shades of bjork - quite ethereal - but with an electro punch. 'Closer' and 'Two Weeks' my standout tracks.
Slaps, it doesn't feel like an album that is enhanced much by listening as an album but it's good
Great album that I didn't "get" initially when it came out. It's calm but confronting.
First time listening to her music and I can say it’s great. A fan going forward. Nice mix of electronica and trip-pop in this debut album.
FKA twigs is nicely fractal. I heard bits and pieces of LP1 first, but never the whole project. MAGDALENE was great listening a couple years ago. Her debut sounds unfinished-in-a-good-way in a way that MAGDALENE does not. It seems pretty easy to gauge one's taste for the sound: Just listen to any track. But the collection of songs doesn't feel redundant against a single or other album.
Pretty impressive debut album. Sort of Portishead meets Kate Bush meets Enya. Very interesting. 4 stars.
Потрясающий альбом, которой полностью пропитан красотой и лёгкостью. Несколько психоделичные и экспериментальные минусы идеально противопоставляются безупречному и мягкому вокалу, что создаёт в голове незабываемый образ всего альбома, а в сочетании с трогательными и чувственными текстами этот релиз расцветает ещё сильнее. (8.5)
Robert se remet enfin au travail, avec un album de qualité qui fait du bien au milieu de la bouillie proposée récemment. En parlant de règlade, j'ai appris ce matin que les membres du groupe Fleetwood Mac s'amusaient à lancer des preservatifs remplis de lait pendant les concerts de leur début. Une anecdote qui fait sourire, plusieurs années avant que la femme chanteuse du groupe ne passe son temps à courir derrière le mec super charismatique du groupe tout au lond de l'album Rumours.
Les albums d'rnb post 2010 font toujours un bien fou au générateur, c'est une vraie constante. Je vais m'abstenir de répéter une énième fois ce que je pense des clébards à tête de mort mais vous connaissez mon avis les concernant.
Cinematic, a little bit otherworldly - exactly my jam. Fave track - "Two Weeks" - a great tune, with a great video to boot!
This is a vibe. This is what music is supposed to sound like in our flying cars or on the holodeck.