Listeners Love Laufey: Bewitched Album Review
Icelandic-Chinese singer-songwriter Laufey has released her sophomore album Bewitched following up on her 2022 debut album Everything I Know About Love. The highly anticipated album was Spotify's biggest jazz album release ever and the second biggest release of the week, behind Olivia Rodrigo’s mainstream album GUTS. While not yet a household name, Laufey has amassed a dedicated following on social media, resurrecting the genre of jazz for Gen-Z and the 21st century.
The album opens with “Dreamer.” The song begins with a mystical four part harmony which transitions into an upbeat swing. Her lyrics reflect a hopeless romantic who dismisses those trying to take that dream away from her. “Second Best” is a slower song with arpeggiated guitar evoking a relationship where she was never prioritized. The song “Lovesick” stands out in the middle of the album with its anthemic chorus and angelic backing vocal performances.
Laufey collaborates with the Philharmonia Orchestra in the seventh track “California and Me.” She reminisces about a past love who leaves her in California. The orchestral arrangement crescendos into a piano interlude “Nocturne.” The instrumental includes snippets of melodies that echo previous songs in the album, and prelude songs to come.
The lead single “From the Start” is a cheeky bossa nova tune where Laufey tries to confess her love to someone. Listeners will find themselves singing “blah blah blah” and scatting during the instrumental break. I find it impossible to be in a bad mood after listening to this delightful track.
The penultimate song “Letter To My 13 Year Old Self” is exactly what the title suggests. Laufey sings to her younger self, reassuring her that all her dreams will come true and to let her insecurities go. The violins accompanied with her guitar cohesively tie all her emotions together.
The album closes with its namesake “Bewitched.” The ballad details a love where a “spell” has been cast on her. The magical elements and instrumentation make the song a perfect fit for a fairytale or fantasy movie. The string ensemble fades out and a sparkle of piano notes bring this album to an end.
Overall, Bewitched is a terrific piece of work. Each instrument, musical choice, and lyric helps each song tell a different story. I applaud Laufey for the time and effort she put into this album and all her other works. Her one-of-a-kind style is a refreshing change of pace for today’s musical landscape. She breaks the stereotype of jazz and classical being a genre for older folks and has made it accessible for all. I urge everyone to give this record a listen and I bet afterwards you will find some (or all) of these album’s songs on your fall playlist.
