With her new single “I’m Safely Passing in Time,” Norwegian artist Tuvaband once again proves she is one of the most daring and imaginative voices in contemporary music. Released on September 5, 2025, as the lead-up to her forthcoming album Seven Ways of Floating, the track is a dizzying fusion of existential hip-hop cadences, velvety R&B tones, and sweeping cinematic strings. It’s not the kind of song you simply listen to, but one you inhabit, slipping into its hazy soundscape as Tuva Hellum Marschhäuser unspools her meditations on time, memory, and the elusive challenge of being present. At once grounded by a deep, booming bass and lifted by ethereal layers of viola and MIDI strings, the song feels like standing on the threshold of past and future, never quite landing in the now.
From its first notes, the track envelops you in an otherworldly atmosphere, yet it is never indulgent or overstuffed. The production, entirely handled by Tuvaband herself, is meticulous but organic, with every sonic detail carrying emotional weight. The bassline, which Tuva admits was an accidental addition, pulses with an almost physical force, anchoring the song’s floaty elements to something visceral. Over it, the strings—both Håkon Brunborg Kjenstad’s viola and Tuva’s own electronic arrangements—swell and shimmer, giving the piece a cinematic breadth. What results is a soundscape that mirrors the theme perfectly: a music caught between gravity and flight, reality and imagination, then and now.
Lyrically, “I’m Safely Passing in Time” is confessional and philosophical. Tuva has described the song as her attempt to write about travelling through time—not in the science-fiction sense, but in the emotional one. She wrestles with how easy it is to get caught in the grip of the past, or lost in the blank canvas of the future, while the present demands a vulnerability that’s harder to confront. This struggle comes alive in her delivery, which oscillates between dreamy introspection and clipped, rhythmic phrasing reminiscent of The Fugees’ influence. There’s a ghostly intimacy to her vocals, as though she’s speaking from just beyond reach, but also a sharp clarity that commands attention. It’s music as philosophy, but rendered in a way that’s visceral and deeply human.
What makes the track even more impressive is its fiercely independent spirit. Every note, every layer, every mix decision is Tuva’s own—proof of her ability to create entire worlds without relying on anyone else’s blueprint. And yet, despite its DIY origins, the track feels lush and expansive, standing shoulder to shoulder with major-label productions without sacrificing its unique identity. There’s a rawness at its core, a refusal to sand away imperfections, that makes it feel alive. This tension between polish and grit is part of Tuvaband’s signature: music that’s meticulously crafted and emotionally untamed.
Ultimately, “I’m Safely Passing in Time” is a statement of intent for Seven Ways of Floating. If the album continues along the trajectory hinted at here, listeners can expect an immersive exploration of existence itself, guided by an artist unafraid to sit in ambiguity and contradiction. The song is a reminder of how rare it is to encounter music that’s cerebral and sensual, intellectual and deeply felt. In a world that often rushes us forward or pulls us backwards, Tuvaband offers something invaluable: a soundtrack for the struggle of simply being here, now. And in that struggle, she finds transcendence.
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