Three years since her last project, FKA twigs has released her latest album, “Eusexua.” The title was a word she made up. An interview with British Vogue described the definition as “the sensation of being so euphoric that you transcend human form.” In a teaser for the record, she expanded further on this feeling.
“Eusexua” saw FKA twigs going further into pop and club music than she has ever before. These songs were filled with hooks and pop instrumentation, though on the more experimental side, as can be expected from FKA twigs. It dealt with themes of romance, sexuality, and introspection. Every song featured production from the British musician Koreless.
Highs
Sonically, FKA twigs absolutely nailed the feeling of eusexua. “Eusexua” was catchy, but also lush. Playful and sensual. The production was meticulously crafted for stunningly gorgeous soundscapes. Though on their own the singles were great songs, they couldn’t do it justice as the entire album elevated every song, they gelled into a blissful 42 minutes of listening.
Lyrically, “Eusexua” mainly dealt with dating in a pursuit for this feeling of eusexua. Several elements of dating were touched on, such as “Perfect Stranger” about hookup culture and “Sticky” about wanting an uncomplicated relationship.
These lyrics were memorable and hook-filled, while at times also being surprising and/or deep. For example, on “Girl Feels Good,” the first verse, “I fear the man who finds himself lost / In tales of war, delusions of more / Beautiful boys, I wish you knew how precious you are / Your mother's, sister's, lover's heart is where there's healing.” This verse could be interpreted as a plea to reject toxic masculinity and embrace love instead.
Or an example of a surprising song was “Childlike Things” which featured, shockingly, North West, the daughter of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, singing in Japanese. The song lyrically, was ridiculous, “I've got supersonic powers that are polyphonic,” said the first verse. The comedic nature of the lyrics emphasized the playfulness of the song’s story.
“Eusexua” was comparable in quality to FKA twigs's 2019 record, “Magdalene", but in some ways, they were complementary opposites. While “Magdalene” was a slower, sadder album about heartbreak, “Eusexua” was an upbeat look at love and pleasure.
Lows
Some of the slower songs such as “Sticky” and “24hr Dog” weren’t as strong as the poppier songs. Although every song was dynamic and well produced, the slower songs dragged a little in comparison. “Keep It, Hold It” and “Wanderlust” were some good slower songs as they were sonically as interesting as the upbeat songs and meaningful. This said, none of the songs were outright bad, they just didn’t flow as well.
With the playfulness of this production, there were some musical jumpscares. Within songs, transitions could have been a little bit smoother. “Childlike Things” and “Keep It, Hold It” were a bit jarring, though not enough to ruin them.
Verdict
“Eusexua” will likely end up being one of the best pop records of 2025. A word meant to define transcendent euphoria, the record fulfilled its namesake. Almost every moment was an energetic and blissful listening experience.
Rating: 9.5 out of 10
Frank Remski is a film and theater reviewer for The Eastern Echo. He is majoring in media studies and journalism and minoring in public relations. He has worked for The Echo since summer of 2023 and has written both news stories and opinion pieces.
