Source: Official Album Artwork
Lana Del Rey has never been one to jump on the pop bandwagon. Where more and more artists are striving to perfect an unheard combination of new sounds, hoping to attain that seemingly important number one, there’s always been something different about Lana. Whilst the rhythmic beats of ‘High By the Beach‘ marked Lana’s first-time foray into a more recognisable top 40 route, its failure to launch only reaffirmed that she’s more comfortable swimming in her own lane, constructing her own indefinable genre.
Honeymoon never strays too far from its preceding albums, yet still manages to signal progression in both sound and substance. The echoey dream of ‘Music to Watch Boys To‘ and the seductive pull of ‘God Knows I’ve Tried‘ are slow and subtle in their play, yet invite the listener into a lulling, intimate performance. Lana’s strong falsetto manages to command the spotlight, so much so, that you’re taken elsewhere – most likely a private, dimly-lit bar engulfed by cigar smoke.
‘Terrence Loves You‘ sees the songstress at her most emotional. She softly wails “But I lost myself when I lost you“, delivering with a shiver. This trend begins from the very first track ‘Honeymoon‘, lead by Lana’s layered vocals and its epic James Bond-esque strings. The track retains an element of timelessness which continues to seep down the tracklist. She’s unafraid to disregard the ordinary, inviting us to join her in being a ‘Freak‘ whereas ‘Religion‘ sees her relinquish her walls to adventure into the unknown territory of new romance.
Known for her hypnotic vocals, Lana continues to play on this when combining it with her darker material. She harmonises with herself gorgeously in ‘The Blackest Day‘ when narrating her lover’s departure. However, nearing the end of the record, her runs appear to render a little overused in ‘Salvatore‘ and ‘Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood‘, but these only appear minor if looking at the bigger picture.
It seems as if ‘High By the Beach‘ was perhaps a misleading single choice, and in no way does it reflect the understated beauty that Honeymoon has to offer. There’s a reason why Lana Del Rey swims in her own lane. It’s because she does it so well that no one is able to pluck up the courage and compete.
