Twin Fantasy (Face to Face)

Twin Fantasy is my favourite album ever. For some historical information, Face to Face refers to the 2018 re-recording of it, which is the definitive version to listen to. The original 2012 version carries the same charm, but is recorded in someone’s garage. Somewhat confusingly, the first part of the 2018 album is called mirror to mirror, and the second part face to face as well. This is intentional, and you’ll see it in the songs and the themes about “growing up”.

You can see its messy beauty from the first song itself. The real highlight for the first half is of course, the second song, beach life-in-death. This is perhaps my favourite song ever and I’ve listened to it endlessly. The way it portrays the feelings of societal judgement, obsession and depression speak to me so much. It is the prime example of music that makes me feel, and this song by itself has shaped me as a person. And it isn’t the only song like this on the album. Bodys, High to Death, Famous Prophets (Stars), Twin Fantasy (Those Boys) are all heartbreaking and so wonderfully articulate the emotions I have felt at times.

At its core, it is an album about escaping the fantasy Toledo plants himself in, where his image of his lover is no more than his fantasy. It is an album about messy love, depression, heartbreak and growing up. We go from seeing each other only as reflections (mirror to mirror) and living in the fantasy, to escaping it and seeing each other face to face. There is little I can express here that Toledo hasn’t expressed better, and I would recommend you to just listen. Even aside from what he wants to say, there is a lot you can relate to. It is an album I always come back to, I love it a lot.