By Mina Wiebe

Yet again, Lana Del Rey has managed to outdo herself in what I find to be one of her best tracks to date. Recently she released “Hope is a Dangerous Thing for a Woman Like me to Have”, a teaser-track for her upcoming album “Norman Fucking Rockwell”, and the song is stunning. (But I mean, with a title that long, it had better be).

The song is incredibly cynical, with the title being one of the central lyrics of the piece; it sets you up to realize that this isn’t going to be one of Lana’s more playful songs. She delves into her internal struggles in which she relays her battle with fame, death, narcissism, and a handful of other issues. The minimalist piano accompaniment was in my opinion a perfect artistic decision for the song because it provides necessary breathing room from these dark subjects.

To my delight, the track is absolutely layered with my favourite “Lana” characteristics. There’s drama, melancholy, and best of all, every time I listen to it I never fail to get chills—all signs of a good Lana track. She’s no stranger to the theatrics of music, whether it be through her dark lyrics or captivating voice, and this song is no exception. You’re presented with her usual haunting vocals, and there’s also an added soulful richness that I’ve definitely heard in her previous songs, but never to this extent. Her singing is simultaneously delicate and strong, and you hear this intense longing in her voice that is somehow both innocent and scarred.

If melancholy were a sound, it would be Lana’s voice—perhaps this song specifically.

Although I credit Lana’s vocal abilities as being the primary source of the song’s hauntingly beautiful resonance, like for any recording artist, there’s some editing and vocal effects involved. Don’t get me wrong, that’s not a bad thing—in fact, I think her sound really benefits from the addition of the slight echoing effect found in many of her other songs. It creates that iconic, angelic tone that Lana is so known for and it’s applied beautifully in this track.

Choosing this track for early release was smart—it’s captivating, and I’m excited to experience the album to its full extent. But now the bar is set high, and I’m hoping this won’t be the album’s only crown jewel.