In 2013, FKA twigs made her mark with two well-crafted EPs that helped build a mystique around the young British artist. For her first U.S. tour, she has assembled a band that is so astonishingly tight and able to carry her complex rhythms into a live setting in such a manner that it seems as if they have been doing this for years. She contorted and captivated with every beat, warping her figure around the pulse of each track. Her voice was on par with the angels of another planet. Equally intergalactic and comforting; disorienting and magnetic. It was nothing like you'd ever heard before, but still delivered on all your expectations. Her unique blend of 90s slow-jam R&B combined with classic trip-hop made for such an authentic and original performance, it was hard to believe that this was her first live show in New York. On occasion she would bashfully thank the crowd for their admiration and attendance, but otherwise she was focused and determined. Standouts "Water Me" and "Papi Pacify" received the largest woos of the night, the crowd swaying and throbbing, never ready for the unexpected curve along the way. Her music is so forward thinking and mature, foreign to the boundaries of a particular sonic template. The talent required to pull off a set with the confidence and charism displayed by FKA twigs is not something attained over night. The out of touch dynamics of the songs are difficult to attain with the assistance of a studio, but the skill required to captivate a crowd with such little live exposure is remarkable. If people care enough to water this lady with full attention, the payoff could be tremendous.
