Ultraviolence remarkably manages to be darker than anything Del Rey has recorded in the past. The trippy, hip-hop-inspired beats that ruled Born to Die sounded downright cheery compared to the somber guitar and string arrangements that make up Ultraviolence. Unlike Born to Die- which had a few brief moments of sunshine permeate through darkness- the vibe on Ultraviolence is all gloom all the time.
The darker, understated musical landscapes of Ultraviolence really bring out the power of Del Rey's voice. Del Rey may not be the most gifted singer in terms of pure vocal talent, but the rawness and emotional power she has in her voice is something to behold. It's evident that Del Rey is pouring every ounce of her soul into each one of this songs and her haunting and often tortured vocal delivery hammers that point home to the utmost degree. With the level of transparency Del Rey shows on Ultraviolence, you'd have to look long and hard to find another major modern artist that's even half as introspective and honest in their music.
Even with a noticeably darker atmosphere than her previous material, Del Rey is still able to craft a bunch of wildly catchy tracks. Despite the dreary nature of her music, Del Rey displays a skill for hook writing that puts pretty much every other modern pop star to shame. "West Coast", "Shades of Cool" and "Cruel World" all feature top-notch hooks that get instantly embedded into your memory. Some may write off her constant refrains of the chorus as lazy, but I found the repetition to really reenforce the emotional power of each song. It's no coincidence that the most emotionally resonate songs on this record are the ones with the strongest hooks. Songs with this much pessimism and perpetual darkness in them shouldn't have hooks that are this affective, but Del Rey defies the odds and makes it happen.
Ultraviolence is an immensely haunting record that simply can not be forgotten. The more experimental and depressing nature of this album makes it a bit more of an uneven listen than the consistently brilliant Born to Die, but the number of phenomenal songs here heavily outweigh the amount of filler. In a time where synth/EDM-tinged pop rules the Top 40 landscape, Del Rey is the bold, bleak voice that was needed to shake things up. As long as she continues to be honest in her music and avoids adhering to traditional pop formulas, she'll remain one of the most intriguing artists in the entire music industry.
3.5/5 Stars
Standout Tracks
1.West Coast
2.Shades of Cool
3.Brooklyn Baby
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