American R&B singer SZA released an extension of her second solo studio album with “SOS Deluxe: LANA” on Dec. 20. “LANA” adds 15 tracks to the original version of “SOS,” with 14 previously unreleased songs being dropped alongside the 2024 single “Saturn.” The project’s title serves as a tribute to the artist’s given first name, Solána.
The project opens with “No More Hiding,” a fitting track title for SZA’s first commercial album release since 2022. In the sub-three-minute song, SZA hints at the struggles she has faced since fans last heard from her. The artist exclaims how she is, “Searching for real, trying for real,” possibly alluding to issues with people around her as she has grown into a musical superstar.
The project continues with “What Do I Do,” a tune that brings together all of the classic SZA sounds fans have come to know. Heavy electric piano and SZA’s cries for an old lover hallmark the Benny-Blanco-produced track.
Next, SZA works with rap superstar and old labelmate Kendrick Lamar on “30 for 30.” The eighth collaboration between the two carries all of the chemistry the artists have shown off previously on SZA projects, most notably on “Doves In The Wind” and “Babylon.” Lamar specifically delivers a standout performance, not on a solo verse, but harmonizing with SZA throughout the track as he did on “luther” from his own recent album “GNX.”
The fourth song on “LANA” brings SZA’s smooth vocals to listeners’ ears. “Diamond Boy (DTM)” provides a more sonically pleasing tune that lacks much lyrical substance compared to other work from the singer.
Despite the relative mediocrity of the previous track, “BMF” rights the ship with an energetic, fresh sound from SZA. Differing from typical SZA tracks where the singer yearns for past lovers and belts out odes and apologies, the song tells a story from an upbeat perspective as SZA becomes infatuated with a new lover. For an artist who has made a career out of a specific sound, “BMF” is a solid deviation from the norm while still maintaining a similar tone to previous songs.
Next, “Scorsese Baby Daddy” continues the strong performance from SZA — despite the odd track name seemingly calling out to famous film director Martin Scorsese. A hypnotizing guitar-based beat guides listeners through SZA’s internal dialogue as she searches for a way to cope with her troubles. The song appears to show the singer’s search for someone who will love her while she simultaneously goes through her own struggles.
The project’s seventh track, titled “Love Me 4 Me,” further explores SZA’s desire for somebody to take her as she is and unconditionally love her. The song has an absolutely hypnotic bridge after the second verse — a standout 20-second portion of the entire album, produced by Rob Bisel, Nick Lee and Carter Lang.
“LANA” then transitions into “Chill Baby,” a track produced in part by rapper Lil Yachty. Unfortunately, besides the unconventional producer choice for a SZA song, there was not much to write home about — the lyrics lacked true substance and even the instrumentals lagged behind the rest of the album.
The project’s ninth song “My Turn” returns to more lyrics where SZA lashes out against a partner who has wronged the singer. The decent-sounding song, and a lot of SZA’s work that follows the same mold, serves as repetitive filler in the 38-song deluxe album.
“Crybaby” changes the pace of “LANA,” serving as an introspective look into why so many of SZA’s relationships have gone awry. SZA questions herself, exclaiming “Maybe / If that attitude took a backseat, Miss Know-It-All / You’d find a man.” SZA examines her coping habits even more, suggesting to herself “You should really stop smokin’ them Backwoods so you can age backwards.” It is rare for artists to be so open about what appears to be a real battle going on in their minds. This especially rings true when the struggles artists face are so relatable; it is quite common for all of us to feel like our attitudes or coping mechanisms prevent us from being happy in relationships — platonic or romantic.
The album progresses with “Kitchen,” another relatable track that explores SZA’s relationship with a past lover and the forces that drag them back together despite their subsequent breakups. The song is hypnotic, as a lot of SZA’s work is, lulling listeners into the kitchen that SZA and her lover dance in, forgetting their history and re-consummating their relationship.
“Get Behind Me (Interlude)” is the only interlude newly released on “LANA.” SZA belts out affirmations that no one will bring her down and that she rejects all bad energies that may be thrust upon her.
The album’s 13th track, “Drive,” is a great example of what can go right when SZA opens up her flow and raps. In a project so heavily dominated by SZA’s classic R&B sound, the track is refreshing and reminds listeners of the original “SOS” album, which was far more rap-heavy than a lot of her other work.
“LANA” comes to a close with “Another Life,” where SZA imagines what another chance with a lover may have been like in another lifetime. The singer sticks to what works: hard-hitting lyrics about failed relationships that listeners can relate to and masterful vocals that sync up perfectly with elite production.
Overall, “LANA” displays all of what can go right when SZA is given time and material to create music. Despite some repetitive tracks and lyrics, there is a reason SZA is one of the most revered R&B singers in the world: her formula works. Listeners may be frustrated with the lack of variation in sound found on “LANA,” but their potential anger is simply misguided. This is an expansion of “SOS,” and SZA and her label Top Dawg Entertainment would not want to deviate too far from a record that sold 318,000 copies in its first week.
SZA will bring “LANA” across the U.S. as she and Kendrick Lamar begin their joint stadium concert series, titled the “Grand National Tour,” on April 19, 2025 in Minneapolis.
Jacob Ramos is a 2024-2025 Managing Editor. He can be reached at jacobtr@uci.edu.
Edited by Alaina Retodo
