EP2

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EP2 is the second extended play by English singer-songwriter, dancer, actress, and producer FKA twigs. It was released on 17 September 2013 through Young and was made available for CD, vinyl, digital download, and streaming. The extended play serves as the follow-up to her debut extended play EP1, which was released nine months prior. The extended play was preceded by the release of its lead promotional single: "Water Me" on 1 August; the song was released concurrently alongside its music video.^[1][2][3]

Upon its release, EP2 was met with critical acclaim from music critics and publications. The extended play debuted and peaked in the top 5 at number 5 on the Billboard Top Dance/Electronic Albums charts and charted for five weeks.^[4] The extended play also debuted and peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart and charted for four weeks.^[5]

Background

In an interview with Red Bull Music Academy Daily, when asked how did her approach change with EP2 and if she set out with a specific vision for the extended play, Twigs responded with:

❝ I don’t think so. It’s just growth. I never think about things in that sense. I never thought that “Hide” would get the positive response that it did. Never in a million years. I thought it would just be friends watching it. The response that those four songs got gave me the confidence to be more brave, to push the boundaries further. Hopefully that comes through. I still very much feel like a novice, and that I’m growing every day as an artist. I mean, I still feel like naming it is somehow too established at this stage. Imagine... "The second EP by twigs is called... Solarisation." [laughs] Do you know what I mean? It’s like, “What do you even mean? What are you on about?” I just want to keep it simple and keep it honest. ❞
– Twigs via Red Bull Music Academy Daily.^[6]

Composition

On EP2, Twigs tackles atmospheric indie soul with chilly claustrophobic atmosphere with the aid of Venezuelan producer and songwriter Arca and showcases her dark, minimalist take on trip hop, art pop, and experimental music.^[7][8] The songs "How's That" and "Water Me" share a "distorted tic-toc noise with that calls to mind the white rabbit with a pocket-watch from Alice in Wonderland."^[8] "Papi Pacify" oscillates between patches of sparse quietness before erupting into its menacingly powerful chorus while "Ultraviolet" glides from a "dark beat that grinds like sandpaper to a light, airy chorus reminiscent of Mariah Carey."^[8][9]

Release and promotion

To promote the extended play, music videos were released for all four songs from the extended play. Twigs released the first music video for "How's That" on 3 May 2013.^[10] The video depicts a computer generated body falling apart in thin air. The second music video for "Water Me" was released on 1 August 2013.^[11] The video consists of a close up of Twigs' face, bobbing frantically. She begins to cry and it "waters" her, causing her eyes to grow larger. The third music video for "Papi Pacify" was released on 13 September 2013, four days before the release of EP2.^[12] The video consists of FKA twigs and an uncredited male in various poses. The fourth and final music video for "Ultraviolet" was released on 20 September 2013.^[13] Even though it is classified as a music video, it is only an image of a kaleidoscope-view of Twigs' mouth.

EP2 was released on 17 September 2013 and was made available for CD, vinyl, digital download, and streaming.

Singles

Promotional singles

The lead and only promotional single, "Water Me", was released on 1 August 2013 concurrently with its music video.

Critical reception

Upon its release, EP2 was subject to critical acclaim from music critics and music publications. At the popular music reviewing website Album of the Year, the extended play received a critic score of 79 based on 8 reviews and a user score of 80, leading it to be categorized as a "must-hear album" on the website.^[24] Larry Day of The 405 wrote that "It's a beautiful bout of heartbreak via Twigs' honeyed vox and slithering synths. It's a display of sublime balladry."^[14] Heather Phares of AllMusic stated, "Barnett still only has a handful of songs to her name, yet the way she brings together vast spaces and dense sounds, as well as love and pain, makes it a stunning body of work."^[15] Phares continued, saying, "Her beats are as decorative and expressive as they are rhythmic, punctuating and embellishing EP2's emotional complexity. Unlike so many of the artists who followed in the footsteps of trip-hop's pioneers and smoothed the style into attractive surfaces, FKA twigs leaves it shattered and frayed."^[15] Chris Bosman of Consequence stated, "FKA twigs has crafted a distinguished and distinguishable sound, and a keen ear for how her plaintive, yet powerful voice works in the spaces of her productions."^[16]

Sean Murray of DIY wrote that "The progression between ‘EP1‘ and this release is arguably the role of Arca, whose abstractions create a perfect foil for Twigs to showcase the maturity and confidence in songwriting."^[17] Murray continued, saying, "Twigs’ self-assurance and identity enables her to intelligently play with duality. The tension between light and darkness, desire and obsession is plain to see on ‘EP2’." ^[17]

Track listing

All tracks are written and produced by FKA twigs and Arca.

No.	Title			Length
1.	"How's That"			3:34
2.	"Papi Pacify"			4:54
3.	"Water Me"			3:25
4.	"Ultraviolet"			3:07
			Total duration	15:00

Personnel

If you would like to view the personnel for EP2, click here!

References

Navigation

To be added.