Stanisland Magazine

The SOS Deluxe version features unreleased songs and twice the number of tracks.

After a delayed drop and several months and counting, SZA (Solána Imani Rowe) finally releases the deluxe version of her SOS album titled Lana.

Posing as an extraterrestrial for the front cover, it almost feels alien to see this album downloaded to my library. But, boy is it worth the wait. The lead single, Drive, was released yesterday and features Ben Stiller in an out of this world video.

Only mere hours after its release, the Ctrl singer revealed on X that more music is coming soon: “And before yall even start .. punch (Terrence “Punch” Henderson) gave the go ahead to purge and drop all songs .. more things are on the way.”

Sound Profile and Overview

There is a thread of everything here for SZA fans, and it turns out the singer has been trolling us all along. Remember Hot Ones? As it turns out, she was priming us the whole time.

We will treat this release as a fresh drop. After all, the artwork, name, etc., are all new. Who does she think she’s kidding?

We get 15 new tracks, no skits, and it all begins with No More Hiding, which, to me, sounds like a Nintendo game score. Don’t get it twisted; it’s a vibe and it blends acoustic sounds with an 8-bit melody. It’s a charming work on the acceptance of freedom to express oneself and feel validated.

This leads us to What Do I Do. The singer recounts the story of her lover getting busy with another on the other end of the phone. SZA has a talent for producing works that can be followed by a variety of tastes; here, she returns to form once again with a similar formula.

We then cross over to 30 over 30 to reunite with Kendrick Lamar for a repeat of the K.Dot album experience. It’s forgettable, and the two share narrow compatibility, though she rescued his GNX effort. Diamond Boy (DTM) is another slow ballad and sparingly employs the use of snares, committing to a rhythm on the theme of infatuation.

BMF lifts our spirits as Rowe reenergises the listener following the exploits of the last two tracks. She then exhibits a weighty percussion on Scorsese Baby Daddy, complemented by a heavy-set electric guitar as she comically waxes lyrical about the Goodfellas director.

Aside from her vocal style, the artist’s appeal is definitely her range and fluidity. Her first two albums share audible similarities; on Lana, these sentiments are carried once again, as she maintains a consistency most musicians can only dream of.

Verdict

Canonically, this is a true SZA project, and it sonically fits with SOS, leaving us to ponder just how hardcore the album’s sessions were. We know that she worked tirelessly with her collaborator, Carter Lang, and this ultimately bore fruit for the follow-up.

Featuring double the tracks and double the visuals, it works. The only question now is, what’s her next move? What does it sound like, and is it just around the corner, too? We can only guess, but until then, this is a great option to tide listeners over.

Our only criticism is that we’d love to hear her switch it up, if only for a few tracks. But the caveat is, this is still SOS, with outtakes. So if Rowe did somewhat adjust her delivery, it could imbalance the album culture she has fostered.

Where to Stream and Buy Vinyl

Vinyl, cassette, and CD copies can be purchased from her official website. They’re currently priced at £60, £26, and £15 respectively.

To stream Lana, you can choose from nine platforms, including Spotify, Apple, Amazon and YouTube.

SZA will co-headline a tour with Kendrick Lamar in 2025 for PgLang and Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE)

Complete Tracklist

The album features 38 songs with a run time of 1 hour 58 minutes. It was released by TDE and licensed exclusively to RCA Records, a subsidiary of Sony Music.

1. No More Hiding
2. What Do I Do
3. 30 for 30 (with Kendrick Lamar)
4. Diamond Boy (DTM)
5. BMF
6. Scorsese Baby Daddy
7. Love Me 4 Me
8. Chill Baby
9. My Turn
10. Crybaby
11. Kitchen
12. Get Behind Me (Interlude)
13. Drive
14. Another Life
15. Saturn
16. SOS
17. Kill Bill
18. Seek & Destroy
19. Low
20. Love Language
21. Blind
22. Used (feat. Don Toliver)
23. Snooze
24. Notice Me
25. Gone Girl
26. Smoking on My Ex Pack
27. Ghost in the Machine (feat. Phoebe Bridgers)
28. F2F
29. Nobody Gets Me
30. Conceited
31. Special
32. Too Late
33. Far
34. Shirt
35. Open Arms (feat. Travis Scott)
36. I Hate U
37. Good Days
38. Forgiveless (feat. Ol’ Dirty Bastard)