From launching 2022’s “SOS” album to high critical and commercial acclaim to having a recent standout single with rapper Kendrick Lamar on “Luther,” SZA’s over-two-year run of hits only continues to reach new heights on the reissued deluxe edition of “SOS,” “SOS Deluxe: LANA.” While the reissue of SZA’s second studio album adds to an initially 23-song tracklist, the 15 additional songs stand as a fresh take on her R&B and pop-infused formula of past works and lead “Lana” to appear as a new album.
Following an over four-year hiatus between her debut album “Ctrl” and sophomore album “SOS,” “Lana” only further cements SZA’s status as a paramount figure in R&B, soul and hip-hop. Even before the release of the deluxe album, the more than two years between “SOS” and “Lana” saw SZA rack up three Grammy wins, sell out a world tour and even reunite with Lamar for an upcoming stadium tour (Recording Academy, Rolling Stone).
Despite multiple delays to the release, which at one point even led SZA to claim that she would be “starting ‘Lana’ from scratch” after songs unofficially leaked, “Lana” finally released this past December in a moment that celebrated the high-spanning impact of “SOS” and built on themes of self-respect and authenticity in the face of romantic and even toxic relationships.
“Lana” starts with “No More Hiding,” a song that sets up an introspective introduction for SZA where she harmonizes over a laid-back instrumental and works to find a sense of inner peace. As SZA seeks to no longer stay in an inauthentic and hidden position and instead looks to find an inner purity in the opening verse, she takes the subsequent choruses and second verse to take her “mask off” and to even “cut [herself] open to see what [she’s] made of,” unveiling a figurative curtain that conceals her identity.
The following “What Do I Do” sees SZA turn into an unrequited love setting where she laments an ex-partner, who is now in a relationship, on a track carried by synths and reverb-heavy vocals. While SZA harmonizes on how the connection between her and her ex-partner has dissolved, she takes the song deeper as she admits her commitment to her unnamed ex regardless of the current circumstances.
The third track, “30 For 30,” serves as a highlight on the record, where Lamar appears for a back-and-forth rap ballad with SZA. The two join to present a commendable call for love but with the caveat of greater self-respect. Through such shared melodies as when the duo sings, “I get this type of feeling you ain’t accustomed to / I swear I’d be at peace if it weren’t for you,” SZA and Lamar form a catchy moment on “Lana” that leads the deluxe to showcase SZA’s journey toward a truer sense of love.
The following “Diamond Boy (DTM)” further opens “Lana” to transform into a distinct project from “SOS” as SZA continues to grasp opportunities for interpersonal peace over an acoustic guitar instrumental. The successes of “Lana” and SZA’s reflections on her relationships reach new heights on “BMF,” where the acoustic and pop-infused production leads SZA to turn the deluxe toward a more pop-infused route reminiscent of cuts from “SOS.” “Scorsese Baby Daddy” continues the pop undertones with bouncy guitar chords and drums that SZA incorporates in a tumultuous relationship context that even sees SZA extending her vocal range.
“Chill Baby” turns SZA into an R&B route with production aided by rapper Lil Yachty, where she again ushers in opportunities for reflection and peace for herself through concluding a relationship and setting it aside, even though there proves to be more complex emotions for SZA when she begs her partner to “don’t go.” “Crybaby” also develops on the themes of underlying insecurity and toxicity. On this track, SZA paints herself in a more negative light, representing a humbling period on the record.
The eleventh and thirteenth tracks, “Kitchen” and “Drive,” both take a mellow R&B approach that leads SZA into key instances of introspection. “Drive” especially appears as a key highlight, with the song even being accompanied by a visual starring actor Ben Stiller singing along to SZA’s lyrics that takes place in a similar natural setting as that present on the record’s cover.
“Saturn,” as the outro and lead single for the deluxe record, caps off “Lana” on a high note featuring a spacey instrumental, which SZA incorporates with melodies that declare “Life’s better on Saturn / Got to break this pattern / Of floating away,” as she concludes the record by calling for an escape from her current state of life.
“Lana” not only capitalizes on the success of “SOS,” but it also emerges as a dense record and an album separate from the original work. Overall, “Lana” proves to be a respectable addition to an already lauded album in “SOS” and is a testament to SZA’s high-quality consistency.
