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It didn’t take me long to come to love the music of jazz-pop artist Laufey after discovering her last year, well after she had erupted into popularity with her first two albums Everything I Know About Love, and Bewitched. Now her third album, A Matter of Time, has arrived, and it might be one of my favorite albums of the year.
A Sound Unlike Any Other
It’s no secret that one of Laufey’s biggest draws is her unique sound. While many pop artists tend to utilize production and instrumentation parallel to more contemporary genres, with things like electronic synths or rock arrangements, Laufey employs jazz, bossa nova, and classical orchestral composition that makes her music stand out, even among some closer contemporaries.
A Matter of Time keeps this trend, continuing to deliver on the unique mix of melodies that gives Laufey her unique sentimental sound. From intimate bossa nova grooves on songs like "Clockwork" and "Mr. Eclectic" to sweeping orchestral swells in "Too Little, Too Late" and "Forget-Me-Not," the album creates a tonal landscape blooming with emotional weight. There’s even a fully orchestral interlude halfway into the album, bringing me back to my old high school orchestra days. I was even taken aback by Laufey’s use of a few leitmotifs in parts of the album, including an homage to the title track of her previous album in “Too Little, Too Late,” as well as the following interlude.
In moments both grand and intimate, A Matter of Time feels deeply cathartic, doing with orchestral and jazz arrangements what most are familiar with more contemporary arrangements. That said, Laufey doesn’t completely stray away from modern sensibilities. "Tough Luck" features a wonderful use of an acoustic guitar and a more pop/rock-esque drum section.
Lovingly Lyrical
Those familiar with Laufey’s work will be well versed in the typical nature of her songwriting and lyricism. Many of these hallmarks return, although there are plenty of welcome twists alongside them.
There’s still an air of romanticism and yearning, such as the talk of distance from a lover on "Lover Girl," however, Laufey also moves beyond pleasantries in this record. "Snow White" deals with body dysmorphia, "Clean Air" provides a rather liberating-feeling breakup anthem, and “Mr. Eclectic” deals with pretentious men, accompanied by background vocals by the one and only Clairo. I also liked the song “Forget-Me-Not,” in which Laufey sings some lines in Icelandic, adding more of a personal touch to the song.
Laufey isn’t afraid to tackle inner dialogue on A Matter of Time, and the album’s title seems to serve as a warning. It’s only a matter of time before little insecurities and faults add up, something faced in the album’s closing track, "Sabotage." In it, Laufey warns a lover that she may be bad for them, and that she will “cause disaster,” calling herself “my worst enemy.” The self-depricating soliloquy concludes with almost a full minute of chaotic noise, leaving the album on a beautifully dissonant note.
Curtain Call
Despite the pessimism that radiates from some of these songs, I can’t help but see hope in the darkness. The gracefulness of Laufey’s performance throughout the album paints beauty in the mundane and painful, and many of these songs read more as a lifting of weight, proudly proclaiming one’s faults and wiping the slate clean. It’s this attitude that has drawn me to Laufey’s music, the unabashed sentimentality that is undeniably theatrical, yet not overly “theater-core.” Through well-orchestrated instrumentation and beautiful lyricism, Laufey paints a sonic portrait that will continue to ring in my ears for a long while.
Sources: Spotify, Spotify, Spotify, Spotify, Spotify, Spotify, Spotify, Spotify, Spotify, Spotify, Spotify, Spotify, Spotify, Spotify
Image Source: Genius
Contact Ian Case with comments at ian.case@bsu.edu
