Lana Del Rey – “Blue Banisters,” “Text Book,” & “Wildflower Wildfire”

Lana Del Rey – “Blue Banisters,” “Text Book,” & “Wildflower Wildfire”

Two months ago, Lana Del Rey released her album Chemtrails Over The Country Club. The day after its release, Del Rey said that she’d have another new album out in June. Later, Del Rey amended that, claiming that her new album would be called Blue Banisters and that it would be out on July 4. It looks like she was serious about that. Today, Del Rey has released three new songs, including the album’s title track.

Del Rey’s three new songs are called “Blue Banisters,” “Text Book,” and “Wildflower Wildfire.” Del Rey recorded all three of them without Jack Antonoff, her primary collaborator on Chemtrails Over The Country Club and its predcessor, 2019’s Norman Fucking Rockwell! Del Rey co-wrote “Blue Banisters” and “Text Book” with producer Gabe Simon, a member of the band Kopecky who has collaborated with people like grandson and mxmtoon. She also co-wrote “Wildflower Wildfire” with Mike Dean, the veteran rap producer best known for his work with Kanye West.

All three of the new songs are dreamy and minimal, with little of the orchestral swirl that Antonoff used on the last two Del Rey albums. “Wildflower Wildfire,” for instance, is just Del Rey’s voice and a piano, until crunchy electronic drums come in at the end. Del Rey sings in her lower register, and she’s wordier than she often is. Nobody would mistake any of these tracks for being anything other than Lana Del Rey songs, but they still represent a bit of a departure. Listen to all three below.

Blue Banister is out 7/3 on Polydor/Interscope.

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