It was only a matter of time before Grammy-winning artist Laufey topped the Billboard charts once again with her new album, A Matter of Time, after her previous climb with her 2023 album Betwitched.
A combination of smooth jazz and emotional pop, A Matter of Time features a total of 14 unique songs, with four prior singles included in the album release: “Silver Lining,” “Tough Luck,” “Lover Girl” and “Snow White.”
The popular artist has received numerous awards for it already, including No. 1 on Billboard Independent Albums, Billboard Jazz Albums, Billboard Traditional Albums and Billboard Vinyl Albums as of Saturday, Sept. 6. She also reached a peak of No. 4 on Billboard 200, beating her previous record of No. 18 on the same chart with her Bewitched album.
While her song “From The Start” remains her most popular song with more than 850 million streams, she began going viral in 2023 after posting a TikTok video of her singing “Valentine,” amassing over 750,000 likes.
Fitting of the album title and its cover, the song “Clockwork” leaves a cozy impression on listeners as the first track. The sounds of a dreamy celesta and three bell chimes at the start create a Christmas-like feeling, perfect for revisiting during the holiday season.
The artist’s songs usually have a symphonic background, like “California and Me” from Bewitched and her single “Let You Break My Heart Again,” both of which feature the Philharmonia Orchestra. This album is no different, with the song “Forget-Me-Not” having an accompaniment with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra.
Even with this similarity, some of the songs in this new album have specific instrumental dynamics that make the vibe jazzy, while others have Laufey’s signature style of a calm yet emotional feeling that lingers even after the song ends.
The bold addition of a pop and jazz blend in some songs of the album felt like a slight surprise when first listening to the album as it strayed from her usual, emotional and jazzy feeling, but it definitely does not disappoint.
For example, an acoustic guitar is prominent in “Castle in Hollywood,” while the celesta and piano stand out along with Laufey’s vocals in “Carousel.”
The latter of the two is a personal album favorite because the combination of the two instruments evokes the sound of The Nutcracker ballet, reviving the urge to drink hot chocolate on a snowy night by the fireplace and a lit-up Christmas tree.
On the other hand, “Forget-Me-Not” combines a diverse range of instruments from the orchestra to create a mystical aura.
Eventually, the song crescendos to an impactful climax at the lyric, “Love you forever, don’t let go of me,” indicating her intense love and homesickness for her homeland, Iceland. Then, the listener’s journey ends with an elongated woodwind and string notes.
Throughout the album, Laufey lowers her guard and sings about her vulnerabilities in a relationship.
Specifically, in the song “Sabotage,” Laufey sings about her doubts that her partner loves her: “It’s just a matter of time ’til you see the dagger.” The famous artist sings, “You assure me you love me, and seal it with a kiss, I can’t be convinced.”
Laufey’s lyrics in the song “Silver Lining” take a turn to the happier dynamics in a relationship, as she sings, “The silver lining’s I’ll be there with you” three times, emphasizing how she will always be there for her partner even through the rough patches of their journey.
Shortly after the release of the album on Friday, Aug. 22, Laufey embarked on her A Matter of Time tour, which started on Monday, Sept. 15, at the Kia Center in Orlando, Florida, and will end on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Kórinn Arena in Kópavogur, Iceland. Her last U.S. stops were in California from Tuesday, Sept. 23, to Tuesday, Sept. 30.
Overall, Laufey combines diverse instruments with her mellow vocals to create songs that feel emotional and heartwarming.
