Taylor Swift explores new regions of Pop in “Midnights”
We’ve wound up our clocks so we can meet Taylor Swift at Midnight!
Taylor Swift has finally released her 10th studio album, “Midnights",” which she announced first at the VMAs. The album follows her critically acclaimed back-to-back albums, folklore and evermore. Both albums have been hailed as her magnum opus, especially the former. This already set the bar too high for Swift to follow them up. Taylor described the album as “the story of 13 sleepless nights scattered throughout [her] life” on social media.
Taylor worked on this album alongside longtime collaborator Jack Antonoff, as well as some new faces like actress Zoë Kravitz. In “Midnights”, Taylor finds herself returning to her familiar pop ground similar to those in her iconic 1989, reputation, and Lover albums with hints of experimentation that elevate the album entirely.
The album’s opener, “Lavender Haze” is a perfect dark synth-pop song. “Meet me at midnight,” Taylor demands first as the high-pitched background vocals begin to emerge. The title is inspired by a Madmen episode and refers to an all-encompassing love. This presumably relates to her relationship with her current boyfriend Joe Alwyn. She explicitly states in the song that she’s “been under scrutiny, you handled it beautifully.” In “Maroon”, Swift’s voice is backed by ambient electronics and droning guitars as she describes a night in New York.
“Anti Hero” is one of Taylor’s most introspective songs, finding her delving into topics like depression and self-worth. An antihero is typically the main character in a story who may lack conventional heroic qualities and attributes. So, the title itself draws more insight into the emotions that drove Taylor to write this particular song and make it the lead single. What’s catchy about this song is its ability to grab you with dark beats, that are reminiscent of her “reputation” music, and overtly weird lyrics (“Sometimes I feel like everybody is a sexy baby”), but at the same time chant “I’m the problem” alongside Taylor.
The longest track on the album, “Snow On The Beach”, is an extremely soft pop song. “Are we falling like snow on the beach?” Taylor and Lana repeat over the melancholic sounds, their voices merge as they softly caress the melodies. Although Lana is not heavily featured on the track, she still adds a beautiful layer to the song.
“Midnight Rain” is probably Swift’s most experimental track. It begins with a satisfying altered voice and electronically expanding beats as Taylor displays how she and her lover (who fans are guessing is actor Tom Hiddleston) have become opposites in their needs. “He stayed the same, all of changed like midnight.” “Question…” is another great pop song with a touch of experimentation despite needing a while to get there. The build-up to the song fits flawlessly with the story Swift tells as she (unironically) asks multiple questions.
“Vigilante Shit” sees Taylor seeking revenge in different ways. Over a strong bass beat and electronic tones sliding in and out of the mix, the reptuation-esque song is cleverly manufactured and is definitely a hit. “Bejeweled” is sparkly throughout. Taylor simply talks about the joys of going on a night out, it completely emanates euphoria. “Karma” is another upbeat song. Its happy and carefree tone takes you to Swift’s 1989 era instantaneously. Swift proves that karma is simply living her best life. A catchy chorus and cats. How much more Taylor Swift can the song get?
Contrary to her “invisible string”, in “Mastermind” Swift blatantly says “none of it was accidental” over a bubbly electronic beat. “You’re On Your Own Kid”, like its name, plays a little juvenile. Despite being sung in signature Swift story-telling, this track lacks something compared to other previous songs incorporating this element. Where this track finds its strength is in it’s immaculate bridge. Another song that falls short is “Sweet Nothing” with its simplistic piano melody that takes the listener completely out of the song.
Thematically, “Midnights” explores so much of what Taylor has already written about in the past. Lyrically and sonically the album felt like a fresh take on themes she’s previously visited. Her ability to create and write music is always seamless and comes to nobody’s surprise. Taylor is always in search of a new sound in the corners of Pop and achieves it flawlessly and still finds the courage to truly be herself.
