Laufey’s third studio album, A Matter of Time, showcases a bold new side of this Icelandic-Chinese singer’s talents. Shifting from her classic coffee shop style, Laufey weaves a new picture of love and loss through love ballads, pop songs and genre-defying tracks.
Rising to fame in 2020, Laufey’s songs became popular through TikTok for showcasing her unique blend of genres. Her new album brings more depth to her musical range, showing her ability to effortlessly switch between lighthearted proclamations of love and emotional displays of heartbreak.
This album features Laufey’s love for someone and her emotions within that storyline. “Clockwork” and “Lover Girl” open the album, showcasing classic Laufey through mellow jazz about first dates and falling in love, drawing the listener in with joyful and exciting lyrics. That quickly changes, however, with her third track, “Snow White.” With lyrics like “The people want beauty, skinny always wins / And I don’t have enough of it,” she dives into industry beauty standards and her struggle with body image and self-worth. Amidst the quiet-but-dramatic string music, she compares herself to Snow White to describe how she’s not being enough for herself or others.
Using another sharp juxtaposition, she jumps to her fourth track, “Castle in Hollywood”, where she fully embraces her pop music side. Featuring a driving acoustic beat and catchy lyrics, she laments losing a childhood friend, showing that love and heartbreak aren’t just for romantic relationships. Similarly, her seventh song, “Too Little, Too Late,” is a striking ballad of her mistake of leaving her partner. In her lyrics, “I’ll toast outside your wedding day / Whisper vows, I’ll never say to you / ’Cause it’s too little, all too late,” she speaks to her ex, showing her regret of breaking up and her need to continue to have that connection.
The further Laufey gets into the album, the more she becomes frustrated, her regrets and pains piling up. “Forget-Me-Not” is a tired song. Her sad lyrics, “I’ll love you forever, don’t let go of me / I’ll die if I wither in your memory,” are backed by vivid orchestral music and followed by lyrics in her native Icelandic as her anger and frustration grow.
In the final few tracks, Laufey brings her rollercoaster journey of emotions to a stirring end. “Tough Luck” starts slow, discussing a man’s flaws, saying, “You won’t be missed / I’ll be glad to see you go,” then suddenly breaks into an upbeat pop song when she seemingly breaks up with him. “Mr. Eclectic” brings us back again to classic Laufey — an upbeat jazz song of mansplaining and frustration.
The album ends on what is perhaps one of the most daring songs in Laufey’s entire discography. “Sabotage” is tense, angry and shocking. Between slow piano verses, loud and upsetting notes — sounding almost like screams — fill the song, building up into something we have never before heard from Laufey. The rage builds, music intensifying and crescendoing until the song suddenly cuts off, ending the album in a dramatic flourish.
Although not so much her usual style, and maybe not for everyone, Laufey’s new album showcases her ability to flourish in new styles. It teaches us as listeners to listen to our hearts, but warns us against following them too closely, as one never knows what will come next.
Perhaps it is only a matter of time before we find out.
