Ultraviolence

Previously I raved about America's sad queen, Lana del Rey; the songstress mentioned that she will no longer produce music after some of her music were leaked to the Internet. Luckily for her fans, she changed her mind and her latest offering, Ultraviolence is a sumptuous feat for the ears. 

Lana has grown in many ways; her image is more unique than ever and more recognition is given to her skills as a songwriter; she produced Burning Desire to promote the new Jaguar F-type car and Disney's Maleficent featured her haunting rendition of Once Upon A Dream. These milestones introduced her to a new community of fans who want more of Lana del Rey and she answered. 

Burning Desire

Once Upon A Dream

I feel her confidence has grown and there's a darker side to this new album. It seems she is not afraid to sing what she wants to sing anymore and Ultraviolence is the embodiment of this confidence. Songs like Ultraviolence and The Other Woman shimmer with the essence of Lana del Rey -- tragedy, strength and honesty in a smoldering package. High marks to the 1st single West Coast; the slowed down tempo for the chorus was a pleasant shock and an incredibly fresh technique.

I'm glad she's sticking to being herself and to express herself as how she feels she should. The emotion is raw behind her husky crooning; she's reduced the backing of strings in this album -- where Paradise was a dreamy walk in the clouds, Ultraviolence is a mix of ecstasy and glory with intoxicating smoke. I'm eager to see what she'll do next. In the meantime, I'm content to sing along to her music while driving about ;)