Thoughts on Lana Del Rey's Ultraviolence.

Lana Del Rey's third studio album paints a darkened landscape filled with love, sex, drugs and the opulence we have come to expect from the songstress.

The lyrics are rife with tales of the hurtful and nurturing past lovers, focusing on the 'exhilarating phases' in her life. Referencing heartbreak and the comings and goings of her lovers and the relationships she calls "wrong, but beautiful to me".

Evolving from the hip hop soundscape of Born to Die, Del Rey's Ultraviolence presents a bluesy lineup to great effect. The album features reverb soaked vocals and guitars, pulsing synths, upright basses, pianos and prominent male backing vocals on tracks like Brooklyn Baby and West Coast. This departure from the sound we've come to expect from the self-proclamed Queen of Saigon is minimalistic and incredibly effective. The result is a hazy sound you'd find with the stale smell of tobacco and deviance in a jazz lounge.

Granted, it's not an easy listen unless you are comfortable with slow builds, sweeping melodies and breathy vocals that stretch in and out of each stanza. But it's exactly what I've come to love about Lana Del Rey's brand of music. Ultraviolence is a dark and beautiful grind that requires multiple listens to fully digest the thematic world she creates.

Ultraviolence delivers a look at Lana Del Rey's life which seems to be equal parts anhedonia and euphoria. It's an odd mix I find incredibly cohesive and satisfying. 8/10.

Standout Tracks: Ultraviolence, Brooklyn Baby, West Coast, Fucked My Way Up To The Top.




Lana Del Rey - Brooklyn Baby (Verse 2)

I think we're like fire and water
I think we're like the wind and sea
You're burning up, I'm cooling down
You're up, I'm down
You're blind, I see
But I'm free
I'm free