Valerie June has brought her interesting voice from a four-year break with an old-school vibe song 'Call Me a Fool'; we know everything about Japanese post-rockers Mono, but there's just still great in a concert with The Platinum Anniversary Orchestra on 'Meet Us Where the Night Ends'; a sweet story, a sweet song - Charley Hickey shares his Phoebe Bridgers collab 'Ten Feet Tall'; '68 share their punk blues 'The Knife, The Knife, The Knife'; bedroom folk artist Field Medic's 'Chamomile' title says it all; Clark shares ambient/haunting art-pop song 'Small'; Ohtis share 'Schatze', a call and response song and video: fka Twigs shares a pop-rap collab 'Don't Judge Me' with Headie One and Fred Again; Genghis Tron are back after 13 years and a new line-up on psychedelic sludge 'Dream Weapon'; Half Waif shares a rich and dramatic 'Orange Blossoms'.

FKA twigs has released the video for 'Sad Day', directed by Hiro Murai; this is his first music video since directing Childish Gambino’s 'This Is America'. In the six-minute video, twigs engages in sword combat with dancer Teake, and her swordsmanship is the result of three years’ training in the art of Wushu under the guidance of Master Wu of the Shaolin Wushu Centre. “Everything I’ve previously done with my body, all the training and dancing, has led to this point” says twigs.

Little Simz won the NME award for the best British album for her 'GREY Area', with Lana Del Rey winning the best album in the world award for her 'Norman Fucking Rockwell'. Best song in the world award went to Billie Eilish for her ‘Bad Guy’, Robyn was named songwriter of the decade, FKA twigs got the best British solo act award, Clairo is the best new act in the world, Emily Eavis got the godlike genius award, and the Foals were named best live act. All the nominees and the winners at the NME. Photos from the awards - here.

A nice punky song 'M1A1' buy the Gorillaz, featuring slowthai and Slaves, with the cartoon band members showing up in the video; Nicolas Jaar revived his Against All Logic alias and has shared a song 'Alucinao', a collaboration with FKA twigs, song is tagged as "grimeton" (probably a portmanteau of "grime" and "reggaeton); Peter Bjorn And John released a jazzy pop song 'Drama King'; old school hip-hop house is full again - Method Man and Redman feature on a Gang Starr remix of 'Bad Name'; producer Daniel Avery and Nine Inch Nails synth wizard Alessandro Cortini have announced their new collaborative album with a new song 'Illusion of Time'; Royde Da 5'9'' proves he's in fine form with 'I Don't Age'; “Murderfolk” artist Amigo the Devil has released a new Tom Jones cover 'Delilah', on banjo; underground rapper Aesop Rock is back with a new single 'Rogue Wave'.

Usher, Sheila and FKA Twigs performed a Prince medley at the 62nd Annual Grammys - the trio performed (well, FKA twigs actually just pole-danced) 'Little Red Corvette', 'When Doves Cry', and 'Kiss'. The host Alicia Keys was joined on stage by Boyz II Men to pay an emotional tribute to Kobe Bryant, who died earlier the same day - the four performed the Motown classic 'It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday'. Tyler, the Creator, donning his signature "IGOR" look, was joined by Boyz II Men for his energetic performance 'Earfquake' and 'New Magic Wand'. Aerosmith went 30 years back and showed where the rap-meets-rock/metal came from, with performance of 'Walk This Way' with Run DMC.

For the full list go here; the top 10 are below: 10. Purple Mountains: 'Purple Mountains'9. Weyes Blood: 'Titanic Rising'8. Fennesz: 'Agora'7. Helado Negro: 'This Is How You Smile'6. Bad Bunny: 'X 100PRE'5. Solange: 'When I Get Home'4. Angel Olsen: 'All Mirrors'3. Big Thief: 'U.F.O.F.'2. FKA twigs: 'MAGDALENE'1. Lana Del Rey: 'Norman Fucking Rockwell!'

Here the full 70 list; the top 10 spots are taken by the following: 10. Purple Mountains – 'Purple Mountains' 9. Big Thief - 'U.F.O.F.' 8. Angel Olsen – 'All Mirrors' 7. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – 'Ghosteen' 6. Jamila Woods – 'LEGACY! LEGACY!' 5. Dave - 'PSYCHODRAMA' 4. Fontaines D.C. - 'Dogrel'  […]

In addition to all the new names, established artists like redefined themselves, and visionaries took their art to new heights, Pitchfork says about their list of 100 best songs of 2019. Shawn Mendes' 'If I Can’t Have You' and FKA twigs' 'cellophane' stand on the edges of that list. Check out the full list here.

Critics can't agree on how to categorize FKA twigs, but it's simple - it's pop music, a good sort. The same applies to her new album - "It’s a metamorphosis that twigs embodies on 'MAGDALENE', using discipline as a template for her art after undergoing her most public tribulations. While concise in length, 'MAGDALENE' paces FKA twigs through […]

They've got Lebanese rock band Mashrou’ Leila with their video 'Roman' ("strength that celebrates Muslim women"), Radiohead with 'Lotus Flower' ("if it’s a risk, that’s probably a good thing”, Thom Yorke later said), Danny Brown with 'Grown Up' because it "highlights the guileless joy that anchors his music", Robyn and her 'Call Your Girlfriend', FKA […]

FKA twigs is a dancer and a singer, but still, she's often referred as "someone's girlfriend" - “I feel like I’ve been indoctrinated to feel like when I’m with a man, things are better,” she says in a Guardian interview - “regardless of whether they are or not. I’ve been made to feel like, if […]

“I never thought heartbreak could be so all-encompassing" - FKA twigs said in a press-release about her new album, 'Magdalene', out October 25, adding - "the process of making this album has allowed me for the first time, and in the most real way, to find compassion when I have been at my most ungraceful, […]

NME is thrilled by FKA Twigs' performance at Alexandra Palace Theatre in London (they gave it 5 of 5 stars): "Nothing short of a masterwork of genius, a moving, shifting, visually stunning wrecking ball of emotion – and a marriage of venue, artist, material and occasion that’s all too rarely experienced by us mere mortals". […]

Guardian's picks for songs of the month of May is AWE-SOME!!! Made with the summer in mind there's: FKA Twigs power-ballad 'Cellophane' about fame obsession; Carly Rae Jepsen's dancey number 'Julien'; Dorian Electra's 'Flamboyant' - imagine Elton John and Freddie Mercury's imaginary son going "all the way"; Bruce Springsteen's 'Hello Sunshine' - made for driving […]