Eusexua by FKA Twigs
#2
Eusexua as an era: the original album tracklist, along with the second version and the Afterglow record, has been the single best musical moment of 2025. This album stayed with me throughout the entire year - I was enamoured with the original the moment it came out, and its highlights (the title track, “Room of Fools,” “Keep It, Hold it,” and ESPECIALLY “Striptease”) soundtracked my entire year, from start to finish.
There were hangups, though. For one, I hated “Childlike Things” and wasn’t that sold on “Perfect Stranger” either. Then, November came… and she released another version of Eusexua that happened to replace a few tracks I wasn’t sold on with new tracks that were absolutely perfect (I especially loved “Perfectly”). Is this cheating??? Who’s to say - regardless, by the time I was making this list, I could not deny the fact that Eusexua belonged in the top 3.
I have been a fan of FKA Twigs since around 2018, and witnessing the release of this album as a long-time fan was nothing short of sublime. With the precise emotions it captures in its lyrics, its euphoric sonic experiments, and perhaps most importantly, Twigs’ vocals sounding as free and unbridled as they’ve ever sounded (especially recalling the climax of “Striptease” and just the entirety of “Room of Fools”) - Eusexua truly feels like Twigs’ most raw musical statement. As I listen to it, I can’t help but feel that this is exactly the sort of sound and message she has spent years working towards - it’s incredible to see her reach this point in her career.
When promoting this album, I remember seeing FKA Twigs talk about the profound healing that she was able to do while regularly raving in Prague, and how that inspired Eusexua. Throughout the record, she evokes a number of emotions - from going out and feeling yourself (“Girl Feels Good,” “Drums of Death”), to wrestling with your demons (“Keep It, Hold It”), to attempting at intimacy/vulnerability (“Sticky,” “Eusexua”). At its core, Eusexua is about going out and melding with others who are also wrestling with something - encapsulated by “We build something together,” as she says on “Room of Fools.” The record is a reminder that healing can come from unexpected places, and sometimes, just going out and experiencing other people can help.