This Is Our Jam: Twigs, “Ache”

U.K. R&B singer Twigs comes to us as another mysterious artist, who, like The Weeknd before her, counts Internet anonymity as part of her persona. With nothing but a Tumblr that hosts her two YouTube videos and a few artfully overexposed photos by fashion photographer Cate Underwood (who may, in fact, be Twigs’ roommate), we’re left with what really matters: the music. “Ache” has a sound to match its title, with a bass-music beat slowed to a crawl and a clipped chorus (“I ache for you”) that’s as uneasy as it is lustful.

Then, there’s the accompanying video, which features a gesticulating masked man who looks something like Batman villain Bane clad in alternative sportswear. (Asked one astute YouTube commenter, “Is he wearing Air Jordans on his face?”). Together, the song and video are undeniably evocative. Whether Twigs stays in the shadows is beside the point — we've already heard what we needed to.