Photo Courtesy of Niyati Batra

The Icelandic singer-songwriter, Laufey, who recently went viral on TikTok has released a new album called Bewitched, which has now been out for a month… just in time for the spooky season! Here’s a quick rundown of each track and my opinion on them!

My friend described “Dreamer,” the first track of the album, to sound like Steven Universe and I couldn’t describe it in a better way. It’s a song infused with jazz and modern pop, and has a nice beat to it! If you like soft-tune songs, then I think you would highly enjoy this song. 

The second song in the album is “Second Best.” Quite different from the first track, this song has melancholic lyrics that focus on accepting heartbreak. It’s pleasant to the ears and a good song to add to your “Sad Playlist” but will leave you in the feels. 

What stood out to me in the third track of this album, “Haunted,” were not the lyrics, but the instruments. The song starts off with a violin, which transitions into the lyrics. The instruments themselves create an eerie and remorseful mood. The lyrics are filled with strong imagery that adds to the sorrowful and dark mood. 

The next song, “Must Be Love”, is not heavy with instruments, to make the primary focus of the lyrics. There is an acoustic guitar in the background as Laufey sings about the feelings she goes through as she realizes that she is falling in love. It’s a cute song, and if you’re one for slow and soft songs, this might be the song for you!

Similar to the previous song, “While You Were Sleeping”, is another song about falling in love, but what makes it different from the previous track is that it encompasses more background music and is slightly more fast-paced. The lyrics themselves are quite clever and funny, and at one point, Laufey even starts doubting who she’s becoming because she’s so madly in love. This is one of my favorite songs from the album, and if you like love songs, you might want to check this out!

“Lovesick”, one of the more popular songs on this album, definitely deserves the attention it received! It starts off soft, but quickly changes and becomes more fast-paced as Laufey sings her heart out about being lovesick. Another one of my favorites from this album, so if you haven’t listened to it already, definitely check it out. 

“California and Me” features a strong background instrumental as Laufey sings about her lover leaving her for his “old flame.” A heartbreaking song by Laufey that is sure to get you in your feels. 

The next song is perhaps the song that stands out to me the most… because it’s an instrumental! “Nocturne (Interlude)” is a piece played entirely on piano and to me, it almost sounds like a blend of a few songs on this album (a blend of Lovesick, California and Me, and Bewitched). It is a very calm piece that manages to encompass many emotions without using any words. 

The second-most popular song on this album, “Promise,” is another sad song about a relationship that was not meant to. Besides being a fan-favorite, it’s a very powerful song, and almost always manages to make me cry. If you want a good song to cry to, I would highly recommend this song. 

“From The Start”! The most popular song on this album, and it definitely deserved that spot! Everything about this song is absolutely perfect: the hilarious lyrics, the jazzy yet whimsical tune, the way the instruments blend perfectly together with Laufey’s voice, the list could go on! If there is one song you should listen to from this album, it’s this one!

The following two tracks from the album are “Misty” and “Serendipity.” Both of these songs are soft and slow, and not as popular as the other songs. Although I’m not a huge fan of them, you might think differently, so give them a shot!

“Letter To My 13 Year Old Self”  is a song by Laufey talking to her younger self, and giving her advice. I found this song very touching and I have a special place in my heart for this song as many of these lyrics were relatable… you have to experience this song for yourself to understand the sentiment it carries. 

Lastly, but most definitely not the least, is “Bewitched.” Yet another song about being in love and the song that the album is named after. It has very cute lyrics and is another fan favorite, so definitely give it a listen.

Now to answer the question on everyone’s minds, “Should I listen to this album?” My response to this question is… absolutely! Laufey combines jazz and modern pop throughout this whole album and includes various themes with clever lyrics — a review isn’t enough to experience the magic you feel as you listen to Bewitched!