Laufey has done it once again and graced our ears with another extended edition. “A Matter of Time: The Final Hour” was released last Friday, April 10, and included four new tracks: “Madwoman,” “How I Get,” “I Wait, I Wait, I Wait,” and “I’ll Forget About You (In Time).” (An honorable mention, “Seems Like Old Times” is another bonus track of the album, but was released in August 2025). With a mix of her classic bossa nova, jazz-pop and orchestral ballads, the four new tracks offer a contrasting theme to the rest of “A Matter of Time”–yearning.
The bossa nova piece, “Madwoman,” brings listeners into this world of longing for someone from the past. The music video, released on Monday, April 13, features a star-studded cast (Alysa Liu, Lola Tung, Megan Skiendiel and Hudson Williams) and a retro 60s vibe that highlights the song’s strong feminist energy. The next track, “How I Get,” continues yearning for someone she knows is bad. Laufey presents a battle between the heart and mind over love—knowing it’ll hurt you, but still wanting it. Its orchestral pop style brings the strong emotions of a blinding love to life. Her third track, “I Wait, I Wait, I Wait,” addresses the fears of falling in love and the heavy feeling of waiting for the worst possible scenario: never being enough for the person you love. The sorrowful piano encapsulates the sinking feeling that there is such a thing as too good to be true. The last track, “I’ll Forget About You (In Time),” captures the emotion of learning to heal; the battle of getting over someone and forgetting the life you once built. The bridge shifts the song to empowerment and the realization that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Interestingly enough, the song ends with a question, “I’ll forget about you, won’t I?” hinting at the same uncertainty presented in “I Wait, I Wait, I Wait.” All four tracks bring listeners through the stages of a break up, from missing the person to reflecting on why it ended and finally learning to stand once again.
The deluxe tracks’ themes contrast from the rest of the album, most of which are self-assured or explore the joy of being in love. For example, “Tough Luck,” “Mr. Eclectic” and “Clean Air,” address the independence of being single. After initiating the break up, she’s breathing “clean clean air” and feels liberated. Other tracks, like “Clockwork,” “Lover Girl” and “Silver Lining,” explore the gleeful nature of being in love. When compared to the rest of the album, the four newest tracks bring the raw painful emotions that are easily overshadowed by the illusion of a perfect love.
This trend can also be seen in her sophomore album’s deluxe edition, “Bewitched: The Goddess Edition,” but flipped. “Bewitched” dives into falling in love and the hope that this love is mutual. Its deluxe edition, another set of four tracks, are playful and assertive about being her own person. Opposite of “A Matter of Time,” “Bewitched” is centered around yearning and its four deluxe tracks bring themes of independence to the album.
Laufey’s deluxe tracks add complexity and layers to each album. They act like counterarguments, bringing the “yes, buts” of life and love through a blend of jazz, pop and orchestral ballads. By addressing the anxiety and joys of falling in love, as well as the ups and downs of growing up and finding yourself, Laufey defines the human experience through song. She brings listeners through heartache and recovery, along with love and heartbreak, while simultaneously navigating self discovery.
Even though I personally love “Bewitched: The Goddess Edition” more than “A Matter of Time: The Final Hour,” both will still be kept in my downloads and played on repeat. Despite some fans being skeptical of her stylistic shift towards more pop-inspired music, both albums still have her core warm, jazzy, velvety voice and charm. Whether you are a “Lauver” or not, “A Matter of Time: The Final Hour” deserves a listen from anyone who wants to bask (or wallow, depending on the mood) in the journey of what it feels to be human.