If They Ask You, Say You Feel It
eusexua as a practice, room of fools, and rays of light
Welcome to hyperfix’d - a low-stakes publication where I share everything and anything I’m excited about, with anyone who will listen - after taking some time away from the internet amidst a busy start to the year, I’m excited to be writing again. I recently turned twenty-seven, the age I’ve secretly looked forward to most my entire life - inspired by
and their musings on facing the uncertainty of their late twenties, I took the day off work, braved the winter weather, hosted the dinner party of my dreams, and set intentions for the year to come - here are just a few of those intentions to fill my year with as much creativity and abundance as possible. Without further ado, here is new hyperfix’d:
going to concerts (my lineup for the year so far includes FKA twigs, Ravyn Lenae, SZA, Kendrick Lamar, and Beyoncé)
saying yes and not overthinking plans
making conversation with strangers
tipping with cash
ordering for the table
reading instead of scrolling
consuming long-form media
writing down every idea that comes to mind
Eusexua, FKA twigs 💿
To go out we must go in reset / And begin again from within
FKA twigs’ third studio album, Eusexua, is here, and it’s her greatest offering yet - birthed from the influences of Prague’s nightlife and rave subculture, the latest installment of FKA twigs’ artistic crusade is underscored by her path towards healing. A self-invented term, welcomed into the cultural lexicon with as much impetuousness as Charli xcx’s preceding Brat, Eusexua has become an all-encompassing emblem of self-empowerment; Eusexua is a practice, an uncomplacement state of being, and the moment before an idea of pure clarity.
Eusexua is a no-skips album for me - an enrapturing blend of garage, drum + bass, and pop grooves, the album shapeshifts from one eccentric musical landscape to the next, emulating the thrill of getting lost in the dancefloor, with every needle drop more climactic than the last. As every aural progression further awakens the senses, Eusexua unearths the delightfully sensual and supernatural world that FKA twigs’ music so brilliantly occupies.
Girl Feels Good feels directly reminiscent of Madonna’s Ray of Light, Drums Of Death follows dance/electronic influences made popular by Aphex Twin, while Room of Fools emulates Björk and Enya’s wondrous art-pop tonality. Eusexua continues to showcase FKA twigs’ ethereal and one-of-a-kind vocal range with clear intentionality, her musicality always in tune with and trusting of her voice (Doechii comes to mind as another artist whose vocal control accentuates their narrative in a new and interesting way).
“Thank you for insisting that there is a collective demand for work that requires attention span and pushing beyond oneself, and that raw nonlinear growth still has a place in this world. Thank you for reminding me that people in this world see me and believe in the importance of subculture and community as much as I suspected. Thank you for proving that art is not something that can just be declared but is something that is deliberated over, cared for, and perfected over time.”
I have long admired FKA twigs’ daring and intrepid artistry, and for the last ten years, we’ve had the privilege of seeing a once-in-a-generation musician fearlessly chart their own course, her artistic expression and identity forever at the cutting edge. The assuaging powers of Eusexua may feel instantaneous, but twigs’ commitment to finding herself through her art has never wavered - her otherworldly eclecticism feels more human and alive than ever.
You've one life to live, do it freely / It's your choice to break or believe in it / I'll be in my head if you need me / Right there if you need me
Some of my favorite tracks from the album:
Girl Feels Good
Room Of Fools
Drums Of Death
Keep It, Hold It
Striptease
Wanderlust
+ more albums + singles I’ve been listening to on repeat:
Phoenix, Hope Tala
Praying For Your Downfall, Jensen McRae
In The Blue Light, Kelela
Abracadabra, Lady Gaga
It Isn’t Perfect But It Might Be, Olivia Dean
Joni / PSA / Take You Down, SZA
Academy Award Best Picture Nominees ⭐️
The 97th Academy Awards will be taking place at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles this Sunday, and as with every year, I’ve taken it upon myself to see all ten Best Picture nominees ahead of the ceremony - here is my ranking of the ten nominated films, from worst to best:
Emilia Pérez - a deeply, laughably, offensive musical (?) that has me truthfully confused on where its appeal to academy voters lies - perhaps every generation of aspiring filmmakers needs their version of Crash to learn from. Regardless, I’ll be thrilled for Zoe Saldaña if she takes home her deserved career win, as Centerstage is a very important chapter of cinema history to me.
The Substance - not for me, but definitely for someone! While the maximalist body horror and broad, on-the-nose messaging ultimately fell quite flat for me, it’s been wonderful to see Demi Moore’s all-in performance receive well-earned praise, especially as the academy has been known to overlook female-led horror. Her predicted win will be just as much for The Substance as it is for Ghost.
I’m Still Here - I watched this film blindly and did not register that it was based on true events until the very end - not only as a biopic did it not bring much new to the table for me, not since Anatomy Of A Fall has there been a more unnecessarily upsetting canine performance.
A Complete Unknown - another perfectly fine, well-informed biopic that reverently places its focus on Bob Dylan’s early career and illustrious influence on folk + rock music with great care. Every time Timothée Chalamet immerses himself in a new role I’m completely enamored by his immense range and talent - without hyperbole, he is one of the best actors working today, and the Academy’s new ‘DiCaprio’ - it’s going be at least twenty years before we see him finally win an award.
The Brutalist - one of the most compelling and breathtaking cinematic achievements in recent years, The Brutalist has become a favored best-picture frontrunner, as Brady Corbet brings a colossal vision meticulously to life. The film would be at least two spots higher on my list if it weren’t for a severely misguided female performance that was excruciating to watch - some of the most talented male directors can’t write a convincing female character without making her truly insufferable and it shows.
Nickel Boys - this letterboxd review beautifully sums up what makes Nickel Boys so exceptional. ‘In a time of de-aging and dot-covered actors and bringing long-abandoned large-format film back from the dead, it’s heartening to see a film where people just picked up some regular old cameras and did something we’ve never seen before.’ The staggering achievement of RaMell Ross’ inspired vision draws you in completely and must be seen to be believed.
Conclave - with all the makings of a crowd-pleasing drama, Conclave does oscar-bait right - featuring a stacked ensemble of brilliant character actors (Stanley Tucci has never been in a bad film), an efficaciously divisive and gripping screenplay, breathtaking cinematography, big-vape/apple product placement, and of course, Isabella Rossellini.
Wicked - while I’m relieved for the Wicked-mania to have died down a little - it’s a lot when your middle school special interest becomes all anyone can talk about - the beloved musical adaptation breathes sumptuous new life to its musical charm and practical magic, as one of the more impressive (and perhaps taken for granted) contenders in conversation. Of all the supporting actresses, Ariana Grande objectively delivers the strongest most interesting performance of the year - one that if snubbed, should regretfully be looked back on as such.
Dune: Part Two - a truly epic monolith of filmmaking, destined for monoculture and IMAX greatness. Villeneuve’s absence in the Best Director category is one of the most indefensible snubs of the year. In years to come, we will be returning to his tremendous sci-fi spectacle and admiring its awe-inspiring world-building, precise technical mastery, and virtuosic slate of Hollywood’s most promising young actors.
Anora - one of my favorite films of the year, and the current frontrunner for Best Picture, having just won big at the Producers + Directors Guilds and the highly underrated Spirit Awards - there’s a reassuring optimism whenever independent + low-budget films rise to critical reverence, and Anora’s simmering success has been more than well earned. A true and rare star is born in Mikey Madison, whose powerful on-screen presence is unparalleled, as the young actress turns in one of the most deserving and underlooked performances of the year - full review here.
The 97th Academy Awards will air on Sunday, March 2nd, at 2 pm PST/7 pm EST on ABC + Hulu.