- 2023-11-30
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MUSIC
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twst Releases New EP “TWST0002 (Off-World)”
London-based singer-songwriter twst released their sophomore EP “TWST0002 (Off-World)” on November 29, 2023.
The new EP is a sequel to their first project “TWST0001”, which was released in 2020.
The EP comprises a 5-track, co-produced by Mike Spencer, Danio and Clarence Clarity, songwriting contributions from Lauren Aquilina and Eden Tredwell.
The project takes inspiration from Alice in Wonderland, anime series Serial Experiments Lain, Ursula Le Guin's The Left Hand of Darkness and Haraway's Cyborg Manifesto.
Through the use of technological assemblages, the project not only challenges power imbalances, but looks to reclaim them emphasising the entertainment value of art linking it to theories of interpassivity and the parasocial bond between fans and creators.- twst explained about some tracks for the EP.
“Most Viewed”
“Lyrically speaking, ‘Most Viewed’ is based around the desire to be someone’s everything, putting a spin on a classic song subject with contemporary references to social media ‘views’ and online obsession – to be interpreted either as a romantic relationship or a darker interpretation of a modern parasocial relationship.”
“Catch Me (Beautiful Fall)”
“It delves into the theme of a tumultuous relationship and explores the imbalanced dynamics of abuse. Obviously the song hits like a light hearted bop and I wanted that to match the delusion somehow of when someone makes you feel starstruck by their love and power play, that you're not really able to see all the bad stuff happening in the background.” -
“Off-World”
“Off-World resonates with a universal desire to give oneself completely, forging connections that transcend societal norms. The music video serves as a visual representation of the song’s themes, depicting a cyborg girl who descends upon Earth, yearning to break free from the confines of this world and find solace in another realm.
In this transcendent journey, 'Off World' encapsulates the concept of liberation. The cyborg girl symbolises the struggle for personal freedom and self-expression, embodying twst’s own quest for authenticity. The lyrics vividly portray longing and transformation, urging listeners to break free from predetermined moulds and embrace the unknown. The chorus becomes an empowering anthem for those seeking to transcend their current state and embrace a new existence beyond societal boundaries.”
twst “Was I Ever Alone?”
“The hymn-like lyrical content imagines the last day on Earth, where technology and religion converge, as evidenced by lyrics like 'on the last night, the sun came down to see, advertising.' Metaphorically, the lyrics create a haunting tapestry of faces loved and lost, hinting at the ephemeral nature of existence and the elusive quality of identity. References to a 'painting' where angels purchase their dreams and an undefined 'heaven' blur the line between reality and the ethereal.”
Off-World Manifesto
“Imagine a future where ads are replaced by giggles, news is replaced by laughter, seriousness is replaced by joy, and pessimism is met with radical optimism.
In this future, everything you do is valuable to over 100 million people. We realise every being as a hybrid between corporeal understanding and the understanding of everything that the corporeal cannot quantify.
There has been a prevalent idea seeping through the collective psyche: Machines are not collaborative. Furthermore, it imagines that our use of the machine 'other' can only exist in the creator vs. created context. This is wrong! We need to push past this trite and outdated idea of what machine validation means.
As stated by Alexis C. Madrigal: 'we are free of our labors and joined back to nature, returned to our mammal brothers and sisters, and all watched over by machines of loving grace.'
We look towards the future with optimism—an age in which humans and cyborgs would live together in peace, perhaps in loving grace, because they share a common project to ensure their survival: maintaining the Earth as a liveable planet.
Machines are tools; they are only as useful as the people who're using them, and when they're used correctly, there is universal understanding of the mastery, like Justin Bieber or Ted Kazynci.
In this changing world, postmodernism is becoming more sincere, and big changes that affect a trend can also change society.
We see 100 million views as internet currency that holds the intimacy mediated by the speed of the World Wide Web. We see a future—a place where people can dive fearlessly into their corners of the web because they know there's a community that will support them.”
Photo by Yana Van Nuffell - source : Apple Music
