'Midnights': Taylor Swift masterminds another euphoric album

The pop titan's 10th release "Midnights" has the pop filigree of "1989," the intricate tapestry of abstract lyricism of "folklore" and "evermore," the warmth of "Lover" and the vengeful charisma of "Reputation." Co-produced and mostly co-written with her friend Jack Antonoff, the album contains songs that are a recollection of the intrusive thoughts, doubts and paranoia that haunted her in the dead of the night. Through self-interrogation and self-reflection, Swift is her most vulnerable and candid in this album.

Opening with a lustrous pop number, "Lavender Haze," a phrase she borrowed from the hit TV series "Mad Men," she sings about the love she shares with her beau and how it works as a halo over all the hate and expectations. "Maroon" is all about carrying a torch for someone you lost, a mature version of her song "Red," where she also used similar imageries.

The following track is "Anti-Hero" which is essentially about self-loathing and being succumbed by depression, feelings I know all too well. In this song, she pays a sonic ode to her "1989" pop era days and the lyrics unveil both her rational and irrational fears, much like her previous tracks "Nothing New," "This is Me Trying" and "Mirrorball."

While it was immensely exciting that the two songwriting powerhouses - Taylor Swift and Lana Del Rey collaborated on the album, "Snow on the Beach" barely featured the latter artist. Unfortunately, it was not the duet we all hoped for, in fact, Lana could easily be replaced by a background singer.

Her track fives are known to be a punch in the gut and "You're on Your Own, Kid" carries that same piercing note of sadness. She opens up about her eating disorder for the first time in her songwriting and does so with acute sensitivity.

The exquisite melodies of "Midnight Rain" bears resemblance to an indie-pop song, especially because of the manic vocal lurches. Swift ponders about a past love that perished because she unabashedly chased fame instead of true love. "Question…?" is a plunge into emotions and confusion from days gone by which haunt her to this day but in a way that I find mesmerizing.

Next up is "Vigilante Shit," which sounds more like a Billie Eilish song with a tinge of Lorde's dark-pop in her debut album "Pure Heroine." The treble rattle of a snare drum and low vibration of the synth throughout the entire piece elicits a visual of a woman chasing someone in stilettos.

"Bejeweled" and "Labyrinth" are probably my least favorites from the album as it lacks the depth and introspection that other songs are rife with. At first listen, "Karma" is like a glitter gel pen – you could do without it but its existence brightens your mood. Before you know it, you too, will start dancing to the song and be captivated by the idea of pettiness.

The mellowness of "Sweet Nothing," which she co-wrote with her boyfriend Joe Alwyn is beautifully constructed. It is a song that is fit for both dusk and dawn. The final song, "Mastermind," is the opposite of "Invisible String," where Swift mused about fate's mysterious way of bringing people together. She narrates the story of how she "trapped" her lover into a relationship, only to find out later that he had known and complied with what she was up to the entire time. "Supercut" by Lorde was sampled at the end of this song.

Aside from these 13 songs, the 3 am edition features 7 more songs. The songs that were relegated in this section are deeper and contain delectable harmonies. When the songs play, it feels as though her emotions are crumbling like burnt paper in front of my eyes. Her melancholic rumination is even more palpable.

"Would've, Could've, Should've" resonates the same deadly candor of "Dear John" and "All Too Well" while maintaining an impressive composure. This was a collaboration with Aaron Dessner, who she worked with in her last two albums.

"The Great War" is one of those songs that I listen with rapture because of how it welcomes hope and happiness after a time of despair, it's like the transition from winter to spring. "Bigger Than The Whole Sky" is speculated to be about her miscarriage which led many people to share their own hard-hitting stories.

"Dear Reader" caps off the expanded version of the album and once again, she proves that even though her music has been unequivocally about her own heartaches and achievements, it can still ring true for us.

Overall, the entire album is weaved together with not only enduring trauma and perseverance of surviving but also opulence that glimmers when the lyrics and beats fail her. This is not her most lyrically superior album, however, it offers a deep dive into the crevices of her mind.