Bewitched

Laufey’s album is all about love, but she brings a level of depth and maturity that really sets it apart. Like, take these lyrics: “I still can't believe/That you noticed me/An ocean away…” and so on—she creates these insane visuals with just a few lines, her imagery is very strong.

The instrumentation is super simple but keeps building and getting better as the album goes on. Like, you’ve got these gorgeous vocal layers on the first track, 'Dreaming', and the Philharmonic Orchestra on ‘California and Me’. The whole project feels very artistic in a musical sense. The strings, the Bossa Nova guitar, the whimsical piano and woodwinds, it all fits so perfectly with her voice, never overcomplicated, just enhancing everything. And even the interlude ‘Noturne’ hits pretty hard to the feels.

Laufey’s vocal range is her strongest suit. Her diction is so clear. Her voice? Ridiculous, but in a subtle way. She’s not showing off, but when she hits those high notes, it just feels right. She plays with dynamics in this effortless way that pulls you in, and the way she uses glissandos and her vowel placement is pretty legit.

Overall this is a solid, uptight album that shows great upside in Laufey’s future.

LAUFEY - BEWITCHED

RATING - 8.1/10

FAVORITE TRACKS - Lovesick, Dreaming

GENRE - Pop, Contemporary classical, Bossa nova, Jazz