A couple of months ago, we knew nothing about Twigs. Now that the gothic electropop artist has dropped a four-song EP, we at least know that Twigs are serious about being taken seriously, if not much else. One of the songs on this EP is “Breathe,” and it is a stunner from the outset. Taking on much of the misty allure of its predecessor, “Breathe” is smooth as butter but refuses to settle in to place. Off-centre percussion and backdrifting synthesizers contrast a breathless and distinctly British female voice that floods the soundscape with warmth. “Help me in ways of submission/My body’s itching to press on the bruises you hide with a smile,” it sings. The overlying cynicism of the lyrics stands at odds with the splendor of the whole thing, and it only serves to draw you in further.
Track Review: Twigs – “Breathe”
[Self-released; 2012]
