Album of the Week: Lana Del Rey, 'Lust For Life'
by David Safar
July 24, 2017
Lana Del Rey's new studio album continues build on her amorphous-sounding dream pop that bends genres to create cinematic moments.
She has become a formidable music icon with an uncompromising artistic take on contemporary music. Despite her critics' relentless efforts to discredit her as a musician and songwriter, Del Rey proves again that she controls the medium and the message of her music and creative expression.
Lust for Life is a reminder that Lana Del Rey is like a great filmmaker who sets a scene using all the tools available to manipulate your senses. Her voice and lyrics continue to be the primary method for invoking the contradiction between harmonious melodic arrangements and tense narratives. The entire album seamlessly fits into Lana Del Rey's aesthetic but steps outside the boundaries of her previous work through collaborations with The Weeknd, Sean Lennon, A$AP Rocky and Stevie Nicks.
The songs are unmistakably crafted from Lana Del Rey's perspective but draw in those other voices as if they were there on previous releases. She has the ability to make their contributions fit into the sonic world she first shared on her second studio album, Born To Die. From the title track with The Weeknd, to songs like "Heroin" and "Tomorrow Never Came" on the second half of the album, Lana Del Rey sings of a life that blends fantasy and reality in a way that leaves you feeling like you've experienced an alternate dimension.
That world created on Lust for Life sounds both like a dream and a nightmare. There are moments of pleasure and terror that will both keep you listening. The album is moody and atmospheric, making it the perfect late-night soundtrack for driving through the dark or for winding down on a summer night.
Lana Del Rey's Lust For Life is out now on Interscope Records.
Resources
Lana Del Rey - Official Site