Lana Del Rey knows how to deliver an aesthetically pleasing album that transports you to a dreamy state of mind. Her seventh studio album ‘Chemtrails Over The Country Club’ follows the sonical format of her previous couple of records with a sound that hasn’t shifted or evolved drastically. Instead it’s classic Lana Del Rey with her cinematic soundscapes, emotional lyrics, and sultry vocals.
At only eleven tracks long, this is her most refined body of work yet and she thankfully doesn’t oversaturate it with an lengthy array of filler. She keeps this release short and impactful by creating the form of escapism that her fans continue to return to her music for.
Opening with album highlight ‘White Dress’, she immediately draws you into that dreamy realm layered with light production and breathy vocals. Reflecting on simpler times before fame, she questions if her life would be better off without all the success she’s had. It’s an honest reflection of this lifestyle that she’s been very vocal about disliking, and it feels like a touching and vulnerable way of opening the album. “When I was a waitress wearing a white dress, look how I do this, look how I got this. I was a waitress working the night shift. You were my man, felt like I got this” she honestly sings.
Gliding into the cinematic title track ‘Chemtrails Over The Country Club’ she offers you an atmospheric and visual leaning production intertwined with soaring orchestral elements. Melodically it sounds quite similar to ‘Young And Beautiful’ with its naturally anthemic hook that doesn’t try too hard to create that moment of intoxication. There is a calming aura that surrounds this song, and you will find yourself melting to her vocal delivery upon the very first listen.
‘Tulsa Jesus Freak’ then provides a minimalist backdrop that compliments fellow standouts ‘Wild At Heart’, ‘Dark But Just A Game’, ‘Yosemite’ and the contrasting ‘Breaking Up Slowly’.
‘Chemtrails Over The Country Club’ is a record that is designed to play over the crackle of a vinyl player and soundtrack a rainy afternoon or evening in bed with the one you love, or alone and mourning the absence of them.
Must Listen Tracks: ‘White Dress’, ‘Wild At Heart’, ‘Chemtrails Over The Country Club’