It Was ‘A Matter of Time’ Until Laufey Dropped This Masterpiece

Photo via NME

I first discovered Laufey when she released her debut album, Everything I Know About Love in 2021, and have been a fan ever since. I also just love jazz, and I think she does an amazing job combining that genre with pop. 

On August 21, the Chinese-Icelandic singer dropped her third studio album, A Matter of Time. I assumed that this was going to be a love album, especially since she has been with her boyfriend, Charlie Christi, for over a year now, but I was (sort of) wrong. 

Before the album’s release, Laufey told The Hollywood Reporter that A Matter of Time was her “most daring project.” The album touches on many themes, such as friendship breakups, the self-discovery that comes with falling in love and even the tendency to self-sabotage. As a 22-year-old girl that experienced all of these emotions, this album resonated deeply with me. 

One thing I love is when artists have a very obvious and central theme in their album. For instance, keshi had the theme of death and missing someone who is gone in his most recent album, Requiem. Or, Green Day’s 2004 album, American Idiot, which served as a protest against the political climate of the early 2000s. Obviously, Laufey’s theme for this project was time. 

Speaking of themes, I was also surprised when she had so many references to her previous album, Bewitched. Not only can you hear the melody of “Bewitched” in “Cuckoo Ballet - Interlude” towards the end, she also plays it as the outro of “Too Little, Too Late.” Considering that “Bewitched,” the title track of her 2023 sophomore album, has become known as a wedding song, hearing it used in a track about reaching out to someone who has already moved on was so haunting and brilliant.

The opening track, “Clockwork,” immediately caught me off guard with its whimsical bells and bossa nova-inspired groove — a perfect introduction to the album’s central theme of time. The chiming “Ding Dong, Ding Dong” in the first seven seconds of the song felt very playful and enchanting, setting the tone before Laufey eased into her signature jazz sound. This theme of time carries through the record, resurfacing beautifully in “Cuckoo Ballet – Interlude.”

Another track that caught me by surprise was “Clean Air.” I wasn’t expecting Laufey to experiment with country and folk influences on this album, but it’s a refreshing touch that adds variety to the overall project. The stripped-down instrumentation and storytelling style give the song a different texture compared to her signature jazz-pop sound, yet it still feels authentically Laufey. It’s a subtle reminder that she’s not afraid to step outside her comfort zone while keeping her music cohesive.

“Forget-Me-Not,” a track that many listeners might mistake for a love song about missing someone, is actually about Laufey longing for her home country, Iceland. It even feels more intimate when she slips into Icelandic during the song, blending nostalgia with tenderness. It’s a reminder that her music doesn’t just explore romance but also the ache of distance, belonging and cultural identity.

What struck me most was the album’s structure and the emotional journey it creates. The opening track, “Clockwork,” captures the excitement of having a crush and falling in love, while the closing track, “Sabotage,” flips the script, exploring the self-doubt that can unravel in a relationship. In between, songs like “Carousel,” “A Cautionary Tale,” and “Tough Luck” continue this pattern, moving through the highs and lows of romance, self-discovery, love and loss. Together, they form a narrative arc that feels both whimsical and painfully honest.

From my first listen, my favorite songs on the album were “Too Little, Too Late,” “Sabotage” and “A Cautionary Tale.” It feels like Laufey just took pages from my diary and wrote a song about it. Honorary mention goes to “Castle in Hollywood” as well. I think women friendship breakups need to be more talked about, because those hurt harder than romantic relationships sometimes, in my opinion. 

If I could describe this album in one word, it would be whimsical. I think Laufey does such a good job capturing the feeling of being whimsical and light and fun. Not just in this project, but in her aesthetic and the way she carries herself. I really felt this feeling of lightness in “Carousel” and “Cuckoo Ballet - Interlude,” like I want to run prance up and down the hills in a long white maxi skirt. 

I had really high expectations for this album, especially after hearing the singles that were released prior to the whole album, and she honestly reached it. 

With A Matter of Time, Laufey proves that she can weave jazz, classical and pop into something both timeless and intimate. I can tell that this album is very personal to her, and it reminds listeners that love and loss are just as much about discovering yourself as they are about others. 

A Matter of Time is out now on all streaming platforms.