Laufey has never been in a rush. Her music is smoky, soft-spoken, and rich with jazz-inflected intimacy. It often has felt like stepping into a candlelit parlor where time moves just a bit slower. But with her new single “Tough Luck,” released alongside the announcement of her next album A Matter of Time (out September 20), the Icelandic-Chinese singer-songwriter is confidently stretching into a more pop-forward direction. Without losing an ounce of her signature poise.
From the opening swell of strings and Laufey’s breathy vocal entrance, “Tough Luck” feels familiar in all the best ways. It’s dreamy, delicately arranged, and soaked in the vintage romance that’s defined her sound since Everything I Know About Love. But quickly, there’s a shift: a subtle pop undercurrent that pulses beneath the orchestration, and a melodic structure that hints at more modern scaffolding. This is Laufey in high fidelity. Not just analog warmth, but high-definition elegance.
Lyrically, “Tough Luck” finds her still nursing bruises, but with a little more bite. “You don’t fall in love, you just like the attention” she sings, in a line that feels like a slow sip of tea with a twist of venom. There’s a refined sass here, a self-awareness in her heartbreak that gives the track its sting. And just when you think you’ve settled into the gentle sway, the bridge swoops in. A crescendo of pulsing strings and vocals that climb and burn in a way Laufey rarely lets loose. It’s a moment of catharsis that feels cinematic, even climactic, and shows just how far she’s come in crafting not just songs, but full-on soundscapes.
This single arrives as the first taste of A Matter of Time, an album Laufey describes as a reflection on growing up, moving forward, and embracing change. If “Tough Luck” is any indication, this new era won’t be a hard left turn, but a natural evolution. More color in the palette, more spark in the storytelling, and just enough polish to suggest she’s playing the long game.
Still dreamy, still devastating. But Laufey is clearly not standing still.
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