Lana Del Rey‘s new album isn’t expected until 2019, but the laid-back pop singer is certainly owning the late part of 2018 with a parade of particularly strong material. Following the great “Mariners Apartment Complex” (which apparently is not as good of a residence as it is a song) and the sprawling masterpiece “Venice B*tch,” Lana set the bar high for her upcoming Norman F*cking Rockwell record, with certainly some credit due to the new song’s high-profie collaborator, Jack Antonoff. Now, her latest bit of new music from this cycle continues the hot streak.
As Pitchfork points out, “How To Disappear” was debuted today at an Apple event in Brooklyn as Del Rey gave a surprise performance, accompanied by Antonoff on piano. The song, at least in its live presentation, is a stripped-down narrative ballad, with Lana showing a directness and eloquence that stands out in comparison to some of her past work. But when the “California sun” and “movie stars” make their appearance late in the song, Lana is clearly in her wheelhouse, finding new emotions to draw from her favorite iconography.
One also has to wonder if the title, “How To Disappear,” is a nod to Radiohead’s song “How To Disappear Completely.” Del Rey was notably involved in a dispute with the band over her song, “Get Free,” and its similarity to their song, “Creep.”
Check out Lana Del Rey performing “How To Disappear” above.
