Songs of the year, number 12: Lana Del Rey - A&W (Audio)

It takes a particular kind of artist to release, as the opening salvo to their new album, a track that is over 7 minutes long. And yet such is the faith in Lana Del Rey, and the level of respect she has gradually built up since 2010, that she gets away with it.

'A&W' is at once understated, meandering, ugly, and beautiful. It's a complex piece that really rewards repeated listens, much as its parent album Did You Know There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd? also does. Del Rey is capable of obscure moments of beauty, gorgeously atmospheric anthems, and state of the nation addresses, and in 'A&W' it feels like she's trying to do all three at once. Somehow it works. 

Songs of the year, number 20: Lana Del Rey - Dealer (Official Audio)

The impressively prolific Lana Del Rey has proved, once again, with her album Blue Bannisters that she has the propensity to surprise. This almost horizontal, lounging, loping stoner of a track starts like a slightly depressed Prince, goes full on wrath and self loathing fuelled exasperation, then spins back to brooding and sulking like an extra in a David Lynch serial. Absolute perfection. 

Lana Del Rey - Looking For America (Audio)

As a strictly un-political artist, it was pleasant surprise to see Lana Del Rey release 'Looking For America' last year. The song was made available on the day it was written, and was penned in response to the Dayton and El Paso shootings in the US in summer 2019. Sonically, it reflects the pared down approach taken by Del Rey on her critically acclaimed album Norman Fucking Rockwell, while thematically it longs for safer, calmer times.