About a year ago when my close friend introduced me to Laufey (pronounced “Lay-vay”), an Icelandic-Chinese singer, I was hesitant. What was the hype around her? I soon learned it: her calming voice, masterful use of classical instruments, and romantic lyrics—all with the goal of introducing jazz and classical music to the younger generations.

In the past, Laufey’s soothing vocals beautifully describe various scenes from her life. For instance, her song “Lovesick” describes how the sunlight falls on her lover’s cheek, or when she realizes she’s in love in the middle of the night in her song “While You Were Sleeping.” These songs are often accompanied by sweeping, angelic melodies. It’s these songs that drew me, and likely countless other young people, into her music.

In short, I fell in love with Laufey’s songs about falling in love and the sincerity of their delivery. 

Yet, with Laufey’s new album, “A Matter of Time,” her “hopeless romantic” vibe is nowhere to be found.

First released on Aug. 24, 2025, “A Matter of Time” is Laufey’s third album, which draws from a vast range of music styles, including jazz,classical, pop, and country. By doing so, “A Matter of Time” is a combination of the “classic” Laufey and the “new” version of her.  

At the beginning of the album, “Clockwork,” “Lover Girl,” and “Silver Lining” detail Laufey’s experience of falling in love. Accompanied with piano flourishes, these pieces are what may be described as “classic” Laufey. 

Then, in “Carousel,” she reveals that her insecurities and past begin to affect her relationships in “I’m waiting for you to see / The things that are wrong with me.” By singing this, Laufey admits her fears that these “faults” may change her boyfriend’s views on her. These insecurities—the things that are “wrong” about her—are starting to bubble over the surface, and beginning to fester. 

Yet, by the second half of the album, the melodies become more tense, as the ugly parts of herself become more apparent.

In “Tough Luck,” Laufey becomes aware that her boyfriend intends to cheat on her. Laufey’s typical romantic and lovesick harp notes or soft piano chords are forgotten—instead using drums, electric guitar, and synthesizer to further establish the mood. Don’t worry, her signature cello is still present, but it takes a backseat to the stronger sounding instruments.

She pulls back into herself in “A Cautionary Tale,” criticizing herself for putting too much into a relationship: “I gave it too much, I gave myself up/I lost sight of all my dignity”. Starting with a soft guitar, Laufey gives way to a dramatic orchestral accompaniment, admitting that she couldn’t fix her lover, despite finding “cheat codes to [his] soul.”

The last song of the album, “Sabotage,” shows Laufey at her lowest. The song starts out timidly through a piano, but quickly builds intensity, introducing a rapid, dissonant violin. The violin cuts out just as quickly as it came, but the piano continues to play. This music cycle of tense buildup to quick cacophony happens over and over as Laufey promises that “It’s just a matter of time till you see the dagger / It’s a special of mine to cause disaster / So prepare for the impact, and brace your heart / For cold, bloody, bitter sabotage.” It is in this song when the ugly parts of herself—the ones that she hides from her relationships and the world—boil over. No longer can she hide behind a facade of perfectibility, as her insecurities have surfaced, causing her to “sabotage” her relationships. Perhaps it is due to this that her current relationship ended, not because her boyfriend was actually about to cheat (as it suggests in “Tough Luck”), but rather because she perceived it to be so. 

By having songs like “A Cautionary Tale” and “Sabotage,” “A Matter of Time” adds variety into Laufey’s discography and frankly, is one of the most darkly introspective albums I have encountered in a long time. This is simply because there is no true “resolution” to the conflict, which can be found in “Sabotage,” a song so complex that makes it stand out from its counterparts. This is due to its anxious tone, haunting vocals, and the intricacy of the melody itself—yes, there is cacophony, but there is also the buildup, and the unpredictable cut-out. This depth and attention to detail is what makes the song, and the album overall, an auditory delight; so while there is a time and place for a “surface-level” album, why choose the road most traveled?

Laufey’s ability to create a variety of songs is what makes this album so unique. Usually, it is normal to have an album be a complete shift compared to the rest of an artist’s discography, yet having the vibe deteriorate from “hopeless romantic” to “hopeless and depressed” in the span of 14 songs makes this an honest, well-thought-out album.

As opposed to her other “bubbly” albums, the heaviness of each song is comforting, just in a different way: like walking into an empty, old cathedral, or going to the ballet. In evoking this imagery in the listener, Laufey is proving not just that she is a “jazzical” genius (although, she is certainly is), but that she is also able to step outside of her comfort zone, and surprise fans with her mastery at different genres (i.e. the pop-like “Lover Girl” or the twangy country song “Clean Air”), meanings, and languages (“Forget-Me-Not” features her first lyrics in Icelandic). 

“A Matter of Time” also shows her independence and versatility in her songwriting—sure, she can write about love or growing up, but she can also write about the hard things too.

Laufey’s knowledge of her music also fascinates me. As a kid who fell out of love playing piano, seeing what “could have been” is a provocative thought. Her ability to create tension in melodies, or to draw on Astrud Gilberto influences, is frankly awe-inspiring. Laufey herself has described that she wanted to use her music as a way to introduce jazz and classical music to the younger generation—it’s certainly worked on me. 

Being able to evoke emotions of anxiety or relaxation within seconds of each other is, yes, in part due to her control of the instrumental background, but also due to her voice as well. There is something soothing, yet haunting, in her voice, which is on full display throughout the album. For example, in “A Cautionary Tale,” there is a small intonation during the chorus as she sings the word “dignity”—this makes the delivery a spectacular one as opposed to a “good” one.

It is this attention to detail, as well as Laufey’s versatility, that proves her mastery in music, as well as her love for the craft. It is this passion that makes me love her, and the album even more.

Finally, it is important to note that Laufey is no stranger to writing songs about breakups or of unrequited love. Rather, what makes this album different from her previous is that beforehand, they were sung wistfully. In “A Matter of Time,” it is done in a more dramatic way.

This versatility is rarely seen in other modern artists. With the advent of “fan service” albums that seem rushed, uniform, or otherwise missing that “spark,” Laufey’s “A Matter of Time” is like a breath of fresh air, as well as a nostalgic call from the past.

Which, in reality, is what Laufey is all about.