Rating: 4/5
The Icelandic-Chinese jazz darling charms listeners on her sophomore record.
As one of her generation’s most promising figures in jazz music, Laufey Jónsdóttir seems to have all the cards in her favour; she has released a number of hits, including “Let You Break My Heart Again” and “From the Start”; amassed a devoted following; and released a live album with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra.
Like many stars that appear on the scene with hits, one can’t help but wonder how long it will be before they become ‘somebody that we used to know’. With her album Bewitched, Laufey avoids sophomore-slump and proves that she is a cornucopia of talent, and most certainly not a fluke.
Opening the album is the cinematic track “Dreamer,” depicting a character that always yearns for more as an escape from the mundane humdrum of life. The track offers freedom to the listener’s inner child to never be tied down by responsibility or conventionality. In multiple verses, Laufey asserts that “no boy is going to kill the dreamer,” reminding the listener of the autonomy that comes with a vibrant imagination. It’s a gentle album opener that bounces over a chipper melody.
The second track, “Second Best,” departs from the bright first track and wades into melancholy water. With a soft guitar and 6/8 rhythm, the song guides the listener in a dance as Laufey reminisces on unreciprocated love. It’s a sombre track that is equally pleasant to the ear as it is saddening. This theme is continued on the mystifying sister track “Haunted,” where Laufey progresses into a despair-filled yearning. Even though she knows she was not loved the way she loved him, she knows he will continue to haunt her imagination; a consequence of being a dreamer.
The track “While You Were Sleeping” draws inspiration from folk music, with a steady guitar strum guiding the listener by the hand through Laufey’s memories. It’s an introspective track where she sheds light on the stage of falling in love where you realize truly how much you yearn for someone. The following track, “Lovesick,” builds on this idea, featuring one of the most memorable choruses from the album where Laufey admits how lovesick she is.
The instrumentation of Bewitched also shows Laufey’s knowledge of music theory. Her ability to incorporate a variety of instruments feels like a puppet master pulling strings, ensuring everything is working as it is intended to. The melodies guide the listener through the sequences Laufey paints with her lyrics, manifesting in a cinematic fashion.
A standout track from the album is the tender “Promise,” a crushing track about trying to distance yourself from someone, tying yourself in knots as you unsuccessfully try to let go. Laufey’s delivery comes across as a lament, highlighting the line, “It hurts to be something / It’s worse to be nothing with you,” and touching on the perplexing feelings of being lonely on your own but knowing this figure will cause even more heartbreak.
As the album concludes with the title track “Bewitched,” a whimsical flurry of strings segue into a segment of simply Laufey and her guitar. In all the heartbreak and pensiveness that preceded the final track, the album concludes the same way it began – with a dreamer who has finally allowed herself to fall in love She’s giving her all to this person, evident in the sheer passion of the music.
It’s common among fandoms to compare two artists, showing their teeth in defence of their favourite idols. Laufey, however, floats on a cloud above the battlefield. Her youthful approach to lyricism brings a breath of fresh air to jazz and welcomes newcomers to the genre. Her deeply soulful voice serenades listeners with echoes of past jazz icons like Peggy Lee and Julie London. Bewitched is an album with emotional weight and musical expertise, proving that Laufey is a figure in music that is here to stay for years to come.