Most people, myself included, lose track of time. Laufey (pronounced Lay-vay) just lies on top of it. Laufey, a worldwide phenomenon known for her deemed “revival of jazz,” excited fans globally with her newly released album A Matter of Time, hitting all streaming platforms on August 22, 2025.
Laufey’s fanbase “Lauvers” and music enthusiasts all around the world were dazed by the eye catching blue album cover when it was first released to the public on May 15, 2025, sparking conversation and excitement across all social media platforms. Judging by the deep blue aura and somber-faced Laufey, you might expect a typical heartbreak jazz tracklist. But this series isn’t about guesses alone, it’s about holding the cover accountable to the sound.
So…let’s play a game, what story lies behind the cover, and does the album itself back it up?
Going in completely blind, the cover at first glance is very visually encapsulating. You’re immediately drawn in by the ginormous clock framing the beautiful Laufey herself. Laufey seems to be draped across the bottom of the clock rocking a ruffley dress with a variety of different shades of blue. Based on her pose, flow of the dress, striking makeup, and mixed with the expression of her face, the image gives off this yearning, longing feeling. As if her gaze is whispering, “I want something (or someone), and it’s just out of my grasp.” This suggests a gut wrenching album with lyrics about heartbreak or unrequited love over sad jazz ballads and melancholy chimes (in typical Laufey fashion of course). Although, another theory I have is almost the exact opposite.
My second guess would be this is Laufey’s ‘glow up’ album, and maybe the gleam in her eyes is from a new found confidence and possibly a new lover. This would also explain the album’s title, A Matter of Time, suggesting maybe it was just “a matter of time” until Laufey threw away the heartbroken girl persona she held and started a new light as a confident enchantress, with a new love interest. In this case, the album could consist of a more upbeat bossa-nova tone filled with lyrics of love and self growth.
I guessed, you guessed, the cover teased, and now the album speaks. After listening, I can confirm I was both right and wrong at the same time. One thing I was anticipating and got was that this album would definitely be a tear-jerker. If you’re really into music and enjoy deep diving, not only into the lyrics but the composition itself, this album is for you.
I hit play with my all my expectations in mind, but still obviously being open minded and prepared for anything. The album is filled with uncertainty and romanticism. It invites listeners to come in and relate through their own perspective through specific songs such as “Silver Lining,” “Castle in Hollywood,” “Clean Air,” and my personal favorite “Sabotage.”
The sound itself straddles vintage styles not usually displayed in modern music. Bringing in singing techniques not seen since the Golden Age of Jazz in the 1920s. With her own twist as well, Laufey enhances the richness of the genre with modern lyricism that tugs on everybody’s heartstrings.
Laufey’s lyrical voice is something I could talk about for hours. She has charm, wit, and a bold personality that you can almost see through her voice. Even just listening to the first couple of tracks, it was like touching silk or drinking a warm cup of tea with a sore throat. The tracks are warm, cinematic, nostalgic, and heartfelt, truly just making you feel fully immersed in the music as if you were gliding along notes. She perfectly melds classical and modern music into a perfect musical smoothie.
The theme of the entire album is quite what the album cover suggests, time serving as a metaphor numerous times. In specific, the lead single “Silver Lining” is a story about falling in love and becoming a “childlike imperfect version of yourself, and how that’s completely okay,” adds Laufey herself, in a clip posted on her Spotify page. “Silver Lining” is the backbone for this entire album. Being its lead single, it sets the tone for every other song.
A Matter of Time is, as I guessed, a sort of ‘glow up’ album. Laufey introduces a new lover, past lovers, and really strides on this new-found confidence and iconic pettiness that showcases who she is as a person.
I would say I was pretty accurate. The cover accurately depicts the warm music and feeling lying beneath it. A Matter of Time is the type of album you could listen to and frame on the wall as art.
It’s not often an album sounds exactly how it looks, but A Matter of Time ticks in perfect sync. So maybe you can judge this album by its cover…but should you?
