Ofelia, Crush – a review. Maximum sound captured within a mini album

What is love in this day and age? How does one deal with intimacy – or lack thereof? In her newly released Crush EP, Ofelia addresses those questions in a profound manner, creating an extraordinary narrative full of passion and authenticity. The sound of Ofelia’s new work manages to simultaneously tug at the heartstrings and give some food for thought. If you want to know just how Crush captivates the listener and by what means Ofelia amazes once more, make sure you tune in for the rest of this review.

Ofelia and the Crush EP

Iga Aleksandra Krefft – a well-known Polish actress, known by her stage name Ofelia since 2016 – unveiled her new musical project on December 6th, 2024. Her artistic achievement encompasses two past studio albums, Ofelia and 8. The previous album, released in 2022, proved Krefft’s versatility in creating catchy, electronic tunes and those more influenced by the disco genre alike. Amidst those kinds of melodies, there is no shortage of tracks more characteristic of her earlier work – that is to say, melancholic, if not sorrowful. The album proved to be a success, as reflected by the warm critical response and it scoring the 35th place on the OLiS ranking (Polish Official Sales Chart).

During the two years between Ofelia’s penultimate and newest releases, her fans were left to wonder which direction she would take next. While her gloomy compositions are brilliant, it were the songs such as Zakochana w bicie (In Love with the Beat) or Słony Kiss (Salty Kiss) that scored really high on streaming platforms.

Ofelia, Crush – a review

The 8 album certainly might have been a surprise for the fans of Ofelia’s eponymous record. Her turn towards more electronic sounds proved that the artist is not afraid of trying her hand at various genres. Yet again, Krefft does not disappoint in that regard. In Crush, Ofelia goes back to her musical roots, introducing guitar melodies along with more acoustic arrangements that accompanied her during writing the songs for her first album. Notwithstanding the above, the tracks found on Crush still bear a resemblance to her last project. They seem to be lighter and more energetic, which makes them appear both more dynamic and accessible. In comparison to her earlier, more melancholic work, the latest songs sound fresh and casual, as if they were made to inspire movement – perhaps not necessarily a dance, but a genuine, natural rhythm. However, it is worth noting that some of the tracks, such as Tinder, could be found sonically overwhelming, but I wouldn’t mean that in a negative context.

I have previously mentioned the notion of naturalness and it’s certainly worth to meditate a little longer on this word. Crush shows a lot of artistic freedom; Ofelia herself has admitted that during the production of this EP she allowed herself to adopt a more natural and spontaneous approach, which resulted in truly heartfelt work. You can definitely notice it –  it’s almost like the artist’s emotions and thoughts pour out of the songs, which are devoid of over the top artistic flair. They seem genuine – Ofelia used music to convey her own emotions instead of creating music meant to inspire specific feelings. This subtle difference makes the stories she tells appear authentic, as they capture hearts and provoke thought at once.

Ofelia – JSD

Crush is a conceptual tale of modern-day relationships, which sets out to illustrate both the beauty and the hardship inherent to developing intimacy. Ofelia’s songs address the topic of an emotional yearning in a contemporary context. Krefft admits that she believes in the notion of true love, however her personal definition of the word has evolved along with her own experiences. She also draws attention to the influence of dating apps such as Tinder, which to her exemplify the longing for closeness.

The EP’s title, Crush, brings to mind the term used to describe the object of an immature infatuation. Crush itself, however, is nowhere near childish. Ofelia’s lyrical performance deserves recognition in particular, as her work is really well thought-out and packed with captivating metaphors. The songs reveal much about life as a whole and can prompt deep reflections within the listener. A lyric which sounds controversial at first glance may serve as an example: Ofelia sings that ‘it’s worth it to get hurt’. When asked to elaborate on this specific verse in an interview with Interia Muzyka, the artist explained:

“It seems to me it’s inevitable to hurt yourself. The path of every human being is to encounter trouble and work through it – that’s how progress can occur. We need pain to grow. […] You must learn to look for lessons. I think that what comes after this pain can be incredibly uplifting”

The music videos of Ofelia

Three of the songs within the EP – Nigdy nie zakocham się (I Will Never Fall in Love), JSD and ch*jowy film (sh*tty movie) – are accompanied by music videos. Each one of them is extremely atmospheric and goes perfectly with the sound.

It appears that the production of the music videos was done on a tighter budget in comparison to the tracks on 8. Perhaps this impression is due to the difference between the musical genres of the songs, but even despite that the enthusiasts of the complementary visual layer won’t be disappointed.

Ofelia – Nigdy nie zakocham się

The music video for Nigdy nie zakocham się (I Will Never Fall in Love) stands out as perhaps the most intriguing one. Here, Ofelia herself is joined by a Polish actor, Dobromir Dymecki. It is truly fascinating how she manages to communicate emotions through the means of her music, the process of which is supplemented by the video. Interestingly, the music video was directed by Iga Krefft herself, which is a likely reason as to why it pairs  excellently with the song.

Is it worth a listen?

If you’re reading this review as someone who’s already familiar with the Crush EP and is only seeking someone else’s opinion, I believe you need no further incitement to give it another listen. However, if you’re still wondering whether to get immersed in Ofelia’s world  or not – you definitely should. The record is remarkable in all aspects. Although Krefft has repeatedly assured she doesn’t care about views, it’s hard to believe her name isn’t already famous all over Poland. She deserves wider recognition without a doubt – which is only confirmed by Crush.

Crush – tracklist

1. Alerty RCB
2. Nigdy nie zakocham się
3. Tinder
4. JSD
5. ch*jowy film
6. Wyjechać
7. River
8. Mount

Text: Paweł Skarzyński

Photos: Ofelia Iga Krefft (Facebook)

Translation: Anna Sokołowska

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