Twigs’ ‘Eusexua' was a continuation of the experimental meshing of pop, electronic, and club music, with her enchanting voice the centrepiece of it all.
Oklou’s ‘Choke Enough’ is a mix of ambient pop, electronica and downtempo with features from the likes of Bladee and underscores.
Now, as we reach the end of the year, the two are preparing to drop another project. For Twigs, that’s a new album called ‘Eusexua Afterglow’, and for Oklou, it’s a deluxe edition of ‘Choke Enough’. In an unexpected twist, however, the two artists have come together for ‘Viscus’, the first single from that deluxe package.
A co-production between Oklou and former PC Music alum Danny L Harle, ‘Viscus’ feels right at home with many of the other tracks on ‘Choke Enough’. The opening synth line is a throwback to early 2000’s euro trance, but the rest of the song is that pleasing mix of ambience and expansive pop excellence. MIDI choirs and downtempo drums intertwine around Oklou’s wonderful voice as the track ebbs and flows between delicate bridges and massive hooks.
When Twigs appears suddenly during the song's second half, her voice is like a revelation. It’s not really a hot take to call Twigs one of the best vocalists working today, and her voice works shockingly well with this particular style of production. Her half-whispered falsetto glides over the utopian instrumentation with ease. She makes her performance sound both effortless and impressive as she bends her voice around both the music and Oklou’s own voice. The combination of these two singers leads to a fantastic, swirling, living and breathing masterclass of this kind of pop song.
Alongside the song, a music video for ‘Viscus’ was released online. Directed by Gil Gharbi, who previously directed the video for the ‘Choke Enough’ cut ‘Obvious’, the video sees Oklou and Twigs encounter each other in the garage of a house. It features the cold blue colour grading and high film grain synonymous with the album, and the fun and fluid camera work makes it an interesting watch.
‘Viscus’ is a strong collaboration from two of the most captivating figures currently working in pop music, and a promising first look at the new tracks we’ll be getting from the deluxe edition of ‘Choke Enough’, which releases October 31st. FKA Twigs’ new album ‘Eusexua Afterglow’ releases later on November 14th.