★★★★★

“Caprisongs,” the latest mixtape from English indie-pop darling FKA twigs, is a delightful story of rebirth. 

Whereas her previous album, “MAGDALENE,” was a melancholic collection on her abusive relationship with actor Shia LeBeouf, “Caprisongs” is a mixtape that shows FKA’s healing process, her journey of discovering astrology and her exploration of her father’s Jamaican roots.

The album’s name “Caprisongs” is a pun on the popular drink Capri Sun and the word “songs”  as well as her astrological placement within Capricorn Sun. In tracks like “meta angel,” she talks about hoping to find some spiritual guidance, perhaps in astrology: “I wish I had help from a deeper force / Some kind of meta angel / Then they could whisper all the answers / And maybe life would just slow down.”

The album focuses on FKA twigs’ struggle to find such a guiding force and chronicles her oscillation between the light emotions of new love and the darker side of finding yourself. In the track “which way,” FKA feels a demonic force calling to her: “When I was walkin’ through the London city lights / I met the devil and he smiled at me.” But in the final track, “thank you song,” FKA twigs reflects on how finding romantic love saved her, a marked thematic difference from “MAGDALENE,” illustrating the artist’s emotional transformation. 

FKA twigs’ collaborations are another strong point of the album. On production, FKA has enlisted the talents of innovative hyperpop artist Arca, who helped produce one of FKA’s earliest releases, “EP2.” Together they produce a sound that is somehow both nostalgic and futuristic at the same time. 

FKA twigs also includes more features with other singers on this mixtape than any of her previous works. These pairings work well, especially her collaborations with emerging hyperpop artist Shygirl or R&B powerhouse Jorja Smith. The Weeknd also makes an appearance on the track “tears in the club,” which was an excellent choice for the album’s first single not only because of the way the singers’ emotive voices combine to deepen the despondency of the melodically upbeat song, but also due to the sheer star power the pair offers. 

The strongest collaboration by far is on the song “careless,” featuring Daniel Caesar. The two artists begin the track by harmonizing, riffing off of each other in a mesmerizing fashion. Both Caesar and FKA twigs have an R&B softness to their voices, and their dynamic closely resembles R&B classics from the early 2000s. However, the experimental production on the ballad makes it one that draws the listener to replay it over and over again. 

FKA’s themes of metamorphosis are also apparent in this mixtape through the singer’s exploration of her identity, particularly her connection to the African diaspora. The second track “honda” features Gambian-British rapper Pa Salieu and uses a beat influenced by African and Latin American music. The song details life in England as they rap and sing about smoking on the M-Way — British slang for the motorway. The Afrobeats-inspired track “jealousy” features up-and-coming Nigerian singer Rema, which further solidifies FKA’s interest in connecting with her roots, giving this optimistic track a genuine feeling. 

Voiceovers break up the album, most of them starring FKA twigs herself. It is a smart way to gain a deeper understanding of the process behind making the album and delve into FKA’s personal struggles. From simple stories like in “oh my love,” where she details meeting a boy’s family and being told they’re just ‘hangin’ out,’ to revealing how she struggles with shyness and self image on the piece “meta angel.”

But the interview that will stick with the listener the most is at the end of the song “​pamplemousse” where a fan asks FKA twigs, “I know everyone probably annoys you about this / But that song with Dua Lipa, ‘Why Don’t You Love Me Anymore’ / When are you gonna release it?” 

FKA twigs chose to not put that song on the mixtape, which is torturous for true FKA superfans — but displays a playful “gotcha” moment that will make listeners long for her next release.

In totality, the mixtape showcases a new level of depth from FKA twigs and remains a highly enjoyable listen, as she explores her identity and her mental state, showcasing a true rebirth for one of the most underrated artists in the game today. It shows that after her melancholic “MAGDALENE,” FKA twigs can innovate with genre, theme and sound.