Smitten (Pale Waves album)

Smitten is the fourth studio album by the English rock band Pale Waves. It was released on 27 September 2024 by the independent record label Dirty Hit. Co-produced by Simon Oscroft, Iain Berryman, and Hugo Silvani, Smitten was recorded in both Los Angeles and London, with production beginning in late 2023. Unlike the band's previous albums Who Am I? (2021) and Unwanted (2022), Smitten is closer in style to the group's earlier jangle-inspired synth-pop sound.

The lyrics on Smitten were largely inspired by lead singer Heather Baron-Gracie's reflections on her teenage diary, as well as her meditation on the emotions of early queer relationships; this resulted in a record that Baron-Gracie later described as "romantic, delicate, and feminine". Musically, the record was inspired by musicians like Kelsea Ballerini, Kacey Musgraves, and Dolores O'Riordan of the Cranberries. Critics have also noted the influence of popular '80s bands like the Cure and Cocteau Twins.

According to review aggregators Metacritic and AnyDecentMusic?, Smitten received mostly positive reviews, with critics praising the record's ambitious pop hooks, its mature songwriting, and its return to the band's original synth-pop sound. Criticism was directed at the album's sound for being too simplistic. Smitten debuted at number 13 on the UK Albums Chart and at number three on the UK Independent Albums Chart. To support the album, music videos for the songs "Perfume", "Glasgow", "Gravity", and "Thinking About You" were released.