Laufey
is the glamorous, if relatable, star at the center of her own cinematic pop romance on her third album, 2025's
A Matter of Time
. Once again working with producer
Spencer Stewart
, the Icelandic singer has crafted a lush and finely rendered follow-up to her Grammy-winning breakthrough album, 2023's
Bewitched
. From the opening "ding dong" vocal harmonies of "Clockwork" to the '60s soul balladry of "Silver Lining" to the slow-rising symphonic closer "Sabotage,"
seems to be working through the emotional beats of a relationship, moving through the giddy anxiety of a first date to the gutting wallop of a breakup. She highlights the album's movie-like sense of dramatic playfulness early on with "Lover Girl," a bossa nova-tinged aperitif in which she delights in the agony of missing her paramour, chiding herself, "I'm in a reckless fever, love-struck girl/I'd tease her/Thought I'd never be her." The song, as with much of the record, nicely underscores the classic popular song and Broadway influences at the core of her work while also making room for more nuanced sonic and emotional layers. In "Snow White," she explores her own body issues and the way society's demands on how women look affect her relationships. Similarly, in "Carousel," a circus ride becomes a rich metaphor for the complexity of emotions she puts her lover through. That the track also brings to mind the '60s baroque pop of
Harry Nilsson
speaks to the way
expands both the sonic textures and emotional layers of songs on the album. Redolent of this creative experimentation are two tracks produced with
the National
's
Aaron Dessner
, who brings a more nuanced, post-rock-informed chamber sound to "Castle in Hollywood" and "A Cautionary Tale." Of course, all of this is done beautifully, showcasing
's warm vocals and tender cello lines. This enveloping atmosphere reaches a vivid crescendo on "Forget-Me-Not," a classic-leaning ballad where she's framed ballerina-like by the
Iceland Symphony Orchestra
. ~ Matt Collar