Although I have not talked about it much on this blog, anyone who knows me and my music tastes knows how much I love SZA’s music. At heart, I am massively into R&B, and she has been at the top of the mountain in the genre for a while. I would say that I have been a huge fan of SZA for about ten years. I first discovered her at the beginning of the 2010s, and have been hooked ever since. SZA’s debut album, 2017’s Ctrl, was easily one of my favorite albums from that year. I am not alone in that assessment at all. Ctrl is beloved by many, as it was a critical and commercial triumph that put SZA at the forefront of R&B music. In 2022, right at the end of the year, SZA dropped her second record, SOS. Unfortunately, even though I love it, because it came out so late in December, I was not able to include it in any of my year-end lists. I will actually admit, because of the timing of its release, I personally slept on SOS when it originally came out. It did not take me long to go back and realize how great it was, but I still was never able to review it on Eastside Vibes. I did, however, make a video about this album with my mom on our Eastside Vibes YouTube channel. Introducing my mom to SOS is one of my favorite things we have done on that channel, as she has now become one of my mom’s favorite artists. Ultimately, SOS was an even bigger success than its predecessor. It was the longest-running R&B album at the top of the Billboard charts of all time when it was released. SOS was considered to be one of the best albums of 2022 by critics and fans alike. Although the Eastside Vibes blog never officially reviewed it, we did make a YouTube video on it(which you should check out if you haven’t). If it had been reviewed in time, SOS probably would have been the top album of 2022 on the ESV blog as well. SZA has once again released an end-of-the-year project, this one titled LANA. It is meant to serve as a deluxe to SOS, but also feels like its own record. This time, I am not missing out on talking about the new SZA project for the blog. That said, here is how I feel about SZA’s LANA. Please let me know in the comments below what your favorite songs are from LANA, and also comment on how you feel about it as a whole.
SZA gets LANA going on a pretty charming and acoustic note with the track ‘No More Hiding.’ This song is driven by a tranquil and ethereal guitar riff that makes me feel like I am walking on a cloud when I listen to it. This guitar riff is complemented by a synth that sounds like a flute, which adds to the atmospheric sound of the track. SZA’s vocals are perfect for this melody. Her flow gives the song a nice texture, and her tone sits on the melody perfectly. No More Hiding’ is such an inviting way to begin the record. On ‘No More Hiding, SZA sings about wanting to truly let go and trust herself. She is trying to learn to love herself with no regrets. ‘What Do I Do’ brings quite a bit more energy than the first track. This is a groovy R&B Trap track with quite a bit of power to it. The melody for this track has a pretty funky and bright tone. I really like the arrangement on this melody, as the low synths give the track a gritty feeling while the higher-pitched sound effects give the track a cleaner element. SZA’s vocals on this track are pretty subdued and even-keeled. They drive the song along well and make it so catchy, but do not overpower the cool feeling of the melody in any way. On ‘What Do I Do,’ SZA sings about catching her partner cheating and stating she can never see this person in the same way ever again. ‘30 for 30,’ which features Kendrick Lamar, is quickly becoming one of the fan favorites from this record, and it is not tough to see why. Admittedly, this song has been on repeat for me since it came out. SZA and Kendrick seem to always make magic when they come together(Kendrick’s song ‘luther’ is probably straight up my favorite song of the year). The melody for this track is so triumphant and big. It has an early 2000s Soul feeling that reminds me of Kanye, which I dig a ton. The beat for this track is not super pronounced, but it hits hard enough to keep the song feeling huge. Both SZA and Kendrick absolutely kill it on this track. Their flow and tones on their own are great, and they also sound excellent when they hit their duets. There are so many elements about the vocals on this track that are so catchy and pull the listener in. On ‘30 for 30,’ SZA and Kendrick sing about demanding respect and finding their peace within the chaos that surrounds them. ‘Diamond Boy (DTM) is a song that calms the mood a significant amount. This song is driven by a funky guitar riff that sounds like it came right out of the 1970s, which is complemented by some angelic synths and chiming sound effects. The beat for ‘Diamond Boy (DTM)’ has an old-school funk feeling as well, as it is played so lightly that it is hardly noticeable at times. SZA delivers what is probably her most pronounced vocal performance of the record so far on this track. Her flow is choppy and all over the place, and her range is wide-ranging and zestful. On ‘Diamond Boy (DTM),’ SZA sings about being infatuated with her new man; this person makes everything better and makes her forget what is keeping her down. SZA completely switches up the energy on ‘BMF.’ This is by far the most upbeat and energetic song so far. In fact, it may be the most upbeat song I have ever heard from SZA. ‘BMF’ has a vibrant Pop-Rock sound with a tropical feeling to it. The guitar riff that drives this one is so warm and breezy, and the synths and sound effects more than match this feeling. This song has a jumpy beat that will get anyone moving when it comes on; it is impossible to not at least bop your head when this track comes on. SZA’s vocal performance on ‘BMF’ is just as lively as the instrumental. Her tone is sparkling, and the variety of flows she sings with gives the track so much texture. On ‘BMF,’ SZA once again sings about a boy she is infatuated with. She can not get this person off of her mind and will do anything to get them in her bed.
‘Scorsese Baby Daddy’ is another track with more of a Pop Rock feeling to it. This one feels more Shoegaze and Yacht Rock tinted than the song that precedes it. The guitar riff that drives this one has a very grainy sound. The pitch of the melody is pretty sweet, but the distortion on the riff gives the track a bit of harshness. The beat for this track has a bit of distortion on it as well, which adds to that Shoegazey feeling. SZA’s vocals work surprisingly well on ‘Scorsese Baby Daddy.’ I know she is ultra-talented, but I never saw her leaning into this kind of hazy sound, which sounds really nice. ‘Scorsese Baby Daddy’ seems like a song that will steadily keep growing and end up becoming a sleeper hit. On ‘Scorsese Baby Daddy,’ SZA sings about how she is always doing everything extra that she can to get over her pain and turmoil, and is longing for someone to hold her down. ‘Love Me 4 Me’ is an additional track that has been popping off since this record came out. I will be completely honest, this one does not hit with me as much as it seems to with other people. I do not think it is bad in any way, but I also do not find it to be one of my favorites at this point. The instrumental is cool and quirky, but there is something about it that does not grab me as much. It almost feels like generic psychedelic Funk music. Like if I were to search 1970s Funk-type-beat on YouTube, this instrumental would come up. I will say that the vocal arrangement of this song is awesome, and it is totally a saving grace. I may not be super into the instrumental for ‘Love Me For Me,’ but SZA’s range, tone, and overall power in her delivery does bring the song up a significant amount. In ‘Love Me For Me,’ SZA sings about not feeling accepted by her peers or her partner. She always runs back to her mom, because she is the one who always shows SZA consistent love and support. ‘Chill Baby’ is a shorter song at 2:20, and it almost feels like a flash in a pan. Even though it has an enjoyable sound, when listening to the album in full, it is almost easy to look past this one. The instrumental for this one is very watery and bubbly. The tone of the melody is very dainty, and its mix almost sounds like the synths and beat are being played underwater. SZA’s vocals are pretty much as subdued as the instrumental is. Her flow and tone are gratifying, but they also do not do anything to put the song over the top. On ‘Chill Baby,’ SZA sings about a connection she has with someone who calms her down and helps her not think about the many stresses in her life. Out of everything on this record so far, ‘My Turn’ feels the most like a typical SZA song. This one is probably closest to a lot of the music she has been known for in the past, especially from her album Ctrl. The melody has a bright and saccharine sound driven by luscious synths. This melody is put on top of a snappy beat that is pretty soft but has just enough life to give the song a bit of a pop. SZA’s vocals on ‘My Turn’ are great. I especially enjoy the high notes she hits on this track, as they give the song a level of vitality that stands out. On ‘My Turn,’ SZA sings about wanting to get revenge on someone who has hurt her. It was her turn to feel the pain, and her turn to dish it out. ‘Crybaby’ is a song that returns to the old-school R&B sound we got on a couple of songs earlier in the album. Like ‘Scorcese Baby Daddy,’ this is a song that feels like it could end up being a sleeper hit. ‘Crybaby’ has such an ethereal and inviting sound to it. This song is driven by a groovy bassline and guitar riff that is complemented by a keyboard riff and various synths. This melody feels so light and full at the same time, which is what makes it shine. SZA’s vocals work perfectly on this instrumental. Her tone and flow glide over this melody, making the track feel like a warm embrace. On ‘Crybaby,’ SZA sings about self-awareness, realizing she is the reason for a lot of the problems in her relationship. Regardless, she is not going to change because she is who she is.
‘Kitchen’ brings back some of the retro-Rock that has been prevalent throughout this record. This song has a slightly different kind of retro-Rock kind of sound to it though. There is certainly a Yacht Rock element to this one that shines through with the calm, breezy sound of the guitar riff. There is something about this one that makes me think of Bluesy 1970s Ballads by artists like REO Speedwagon as well, though. I think this feel rises through with the piano riff that complements that melody. SZA’s vocals have a ballad-esque feeling to them as well. I think ‘Kitchen’ would be a great song to see performed live because of that ballad element to the track. On ‘Kitchen,’ SZA sings about going back to a person that she knows she should stay away from because the highs keep outweighing the lows in the end. ‘Get Behind Me (Interlude)’ is the shortest song on this project. It is also probably the most outlandish. It is tough to pinpoint the sound of this track. Everything about this instrumental is all over the place. The melody is big, full, and majestical, driven by synths that make me feel like I am riding on a magic carpet. The beat for this track has almost a marching band feeling to it. There is something about it that is anxious, but it also feels grandiose. SZA’s vocals are just as bold as the instrumental. She definitely matches the massive energy of this instrumental and makes the song feel so larger than life. In ‘Get Behind Me (Interlude),’ SZA sings about how she is not going to be dragged down by everyone. She will stay on top of her game and top of the world no matter what. ‘Drive’ is a song that has a sound and feel that is pretty similar to the opening track of the project. Like ‘No More Hiding,’ this is an Acoustic R&B track where most of the focus is on SZA’s vocal performance. The melody for ‘Drive’ is very soothing and sweet. It has the kind of tone that relaxes anyone when it comes on, making it a great wind-down or kickback track. I really enjoy SZA’s flow on this one, as her cadence and tempo give the song such a fun and cool texture. On ‘Drive,’ SZA sings about cooling off while on a long drive and coming to terms with all of the craziness that has been going on in her life. ‘Another Life’ is a song that immediately sends me back in time when I hear it. There is something about this track that just feels so old school. The instrumental for this one feels like a modern and more slick version of the Soul music that was big in the late 1950s and early 1960s. ‘Another Life’ has such a soothing quality to it. From the melody to the beat to the vocals(which are especially nice at the end of the track when SZA hits some higher notes), ‘Another Life’ has such a calming nature to it. On ‘Another Life,’ SZA sings about a lost love with a significant other, asserting that if she had come together with this person at a different time or in a different place, it would have worked out for them. SZA closes out the record with ‘Saturn,’ which is one of the more lively and pushy songs of the record. This is another one that has been popping off since it came out, and it is certainly easy to see why people are attracted to it. ‘Saturn’ has a super energetic, fun, and floaty sound. It feels like it sits right between being a turn-up song and being a kickback track. ‘Saturn’ is a song that can make me want to dance and party, but also sounds nice when you just want to relax and take it easy. ‘Saturn’ contains one of SZA’s most enticing vocal performances of the record. Her flow is captivating, her range is so vast, and her demeanor is awesome. On ‘Saturn,’ SZA sings about how her new life feels mundane, and how she is searching for her paradise. She is reluctant to believe things could be this good and is trying to let herself just dive into her happiness. ‘Saturn’ is a great way to close this project out and send this off on an emphatic note.
Admittedly, the rollout for SZA’s LANA was pretty damn weird. When the project was first announced, it sounded like it was going to be SZA’s third studio album. Eventually though, As I mentioned in the introduction, it was dubbed as the deluxe version of SOS. To be honest, I do not really know how it is considered to be a deluxe for SOS. I mean, I guess this hopefully means there will be an actual new SZA album coming out sometime soon. But as far as how LANA sounds, it feels pretty different than SOS. The instrumentals on this project are sort of all over the place. SZA really expands her sound on this project, pushing herself in directions we have not previously seen from her. For the most part, this works out super well. I will say that LANA feels a bit scattered at times, but overall, the quality of the music on this project is super high, which makes up for that. LANA is a dope project where SZA once again shows how diverse of an artist she is, and it is yet another great addition to her discography(although it technically is not its own record).
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