By: Fletcher Pike

Laufey (pronounced LAY-vay) is a popular Icelandic-Chinese singer and songwriter that is known for her music inspired by a lot of old jazz musicians such as Ella Fitzgerald and her soft vocals. Laufey’s growing popularity led to the release of her award-winning album ‘Bewitched’ on September 8th, 2023. This album features beautiful string instruments and classic jazz beats accompanied by stunning vocals by Laufey. This album includes 14 songs in total with a length of 43 minutes.

Track 1: Dreamer

The first song on this album starts off with a beautiful overlapped vocal segment that progresses into an amazing traditional jazz beat with a soft piano accompaniment and brushed drums. I thought that this was a really nice opening to an album and I would rate this song a 10/10.

Track 2: Second Best

“Second Best” starts off with a faint guitar sound with a classic jazz drum beat along with some string instruments and beautiful backup singer lines that really add flow to the song. I liked this song and I would rate it a 9/10.

Track 3: Haunted

“Haunted” is one of my favorite songs on this album, which starts with a somewhat eerie solo violin which becomes a really nice beat with gentle guitar strums. I found the melody and rhythm to be beautifully haunting, and fit the name of the song perfectly. I think that this song deserves a 10/10.

Track 4: Must Be Love

“Must Be Love” begins with a nice guitar sound that continues throughout the song. I really liked Laufey’s vocals in this song and found the echoey backup vocals to be a nice addition to the song. I liked this song and I think it is a 9/10.

Track 5: While You Were Sleeping

“While You Were Sleeping” in my opinion lacks some of the jazz elements, with more of a guitar strummed beat and classic drums. This doesn’t mean it’s not a great song. I really liked this song and found it to be quite nice to listen to. I think this song deserves a 9.5/10.

Track 6: Lovesick

“Lovesick” features a guitar strummed beat and drums which I really liked. Short orchestral segments are added underneath the beat which I think added depth to the song. I loved this song a lot and I would rate it a 10/10.

Track 7: California and Me (feat. Philharmonia Orchestra)

“California and Me’”starts off with a scaling piano and a nice melody. The Philharmonia Orchestra is featured on this song including nice woodwind sounds and beautiful string instruments. I really liked Laufey’s vocals in this song and I think this song is a 9.5/10

Track 8: Nocturne (Interlude)

“Nocturne” is a 2-minute long interlude composed of only piano, which I actually found to be very nice to listen to. I think this interlude is an 8/10.

Track 9: Promise

This song is a bit calmer than some of the other songs on this album, with a soft piano and beautiful vocals. During the song, a brushed drum beat is added over the piano and vocals. I really liked that the volume dynamics shifted throughout the song. I thought that this song was really nice to listen to and I would rate it a 10/10.

Track 10: From The Start

“From The Start” is one of Laufey’s most popular songs overall, featuring an interesting mix of bossa nova and jazz with a really nice melody and vibe. Laufey essentially describes this song as the feeling of awkwardness that we feel when we are near someone that we secretly like, which I can definitely see through the lyrics. I really loved this song and I rate it a 10/10.

Track 11: Misty

“Misty” really reminded me of the vintage jazz theme of this album, with a beautiful piano and brushed drums. I thought that this song was very beautiful and I would rate it a 9/10.

Track 12: Serendipity

“Serendipity” is a primarily piano and vocal composed piece, with a softer and more somber vibe to it. I loved the melody and how the notes flowed. I think this was a really nice song and I would rate it a 10/10.

Track 13: Letter To My 13 Year Old Self

The song “Letter To My 13 Year Old Self” has a bit more of a somber vibe compared to some of the more upbeat songs on this album. In this song, Laufey sings a slow melody, with lyrics referring to how she would have reassured her 13 year old self with words of wisdom as she struggled to fit in with others and stood out from her peers. This song also includes themes of hope and self-improvement. I thought that this song was very nice and I rate it a 9.5/10.

Track 14: Bewitched

The final song on this album is a wonderful arrangement of magical string instruments, and stunning vocals by Laufey. I thought that this song was enchanting with how the string instruments were incorporated into the song. I think this was a nice finish to an album and that this song deserves a 10/10.

Overall, this was an amazing album that really captivated the theme of old jazz with a few modern twists. I loved Laufey’s incredible vocal range and the instruments that were incorporated into these songs. I would definitely recommend this to anyone that is a fan of jazz music or musicians like Beabadoobee, Mitski, or Faye Webster. I decided to rate this album a 10/10 because I thought it was very beautiful and I love Laufey’s vocals.