“Mastermind”

Mastermind – 10/10

“Mastermind” is a fitting name for the first track introduced in Swift’s TikTok “Midnight Mayhem With Me” series. Swift’s fans have often referred to her as a mastermind due to her calculated easter egg-dropping. In this track, Swift describes orchestrating the perfect set-up for her and Alwyn’s relationship. She references other songs about Alwyn like “Gorgeous” and “Paper Rings,” providing a glimpse into the calculation that lead to the moments those songs described. The lyrics are accompanied by a continually falling and rising synth sound that almost sounds like the theme song of the  Netflix original “Stranger Things.” The instrumentation’s crescendos and decrescendos add to the feeling that we are witnessing Swift’s mastermind plan finally come together. It is a perfect closing track to “Midnights.”