Lana Del Rey’s Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd Demos is a 31-track journey through her catalog, her friends, and her own mind. It is not a new album in the usual sense. It is a collection of instrumental versions, unmastered takes, interludes, and a handful of fresh songs, all tied together by a theme of death as a mirror held up to the self. The record rewards careful attention, even when it asks for patience.
The Tunnel Opens With The Grants
The album opens with “The Grants (Instrumental)” at 4:55, a piano-led piece that sets the tone before the title track arrives. Then comes “Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd (Radio Edit)” at 4:03, a version that strips the song down to its bones. The full-length instrumental follows at 4:45. Both versions are quiet, atmospheric, and they establish the record’s central idea: that there is a tunnel under Ocean Blvd, and it leads somewhere nobody wants to see.
Sweet Through Judah Smith
“Sweet (Unmastered)” runs 3:36, and its instrumental twin sits at 3:35. They are small, delicate, and easy to skip over. The same goes for “A&W (Radio Edit)” at 4:37 and “A&W (Instrumental)” at 7:14 — the instrumental is longer and more interesting, but neither holds the ear for long. “Judah Smith Interlude (Unmastered)” at 4:34 and its instrumental at 4:37 are brief pauses, pleasant but not essential.
Jon Batiste And Kintsugi
“Jon Batiste Interlude (Unmastered)” at 3:34 and its instrumental at 3:34 are a breath of fresh air. They sit between two longer pieces: “Kintsugi (Unmastered)” at 6:22 and “Kintsugi (Instrumental)” at 6:19. The unmastered version is the stronger of the two, with a sense of ritual and healing that fits the title. The instrumental is competent but less distinctive.
Fingertips Through Peppers
“Fingertips (Unmastered)” at 5:46 and its instrumental at 5:48 are solid but not memorable. They pass without leaving much of an impression. “Paris, Texas (feat. SYML) [Unmastered]” at 3:28 and its instrumental at 3:27 are better. The unmastered version has a slow-burning quality that makes it one of the more interesting moments on the record.
“Grandfather please stand on the shoulders of my father while he’s deep-sea fishing (feat. RIOPY) [Unmastered]” at 4:00 and its instrumental at 4:00 are both four minutes of gentle, melancholic mood music. They work best as background. “Let The Light In (feat. Father John Misty) [Unmastered]” at 4:38 and its instrumental at 4:38 are the standout of this stretch. The unmastered version is sharp, funny, and dark in a way that suits the collaboration.
“Margaret (feat. Bleachers) [Unmastered]” at 5:55 and its instrumental at 5:40 are a mixed bag. The unmastered version has a theatrical energy, but the instrumental loses some of that edge. “Fishtail (Unmastered)” at 4:04 and its instrumental at 4:03 are pleasant but slight. “Peppers (feat. Tommy Genesis) [Unmastered]” at 4:07, “Peppers (feat. Tommy Genesis) [Instrumental with Sample]” at 4:09, and “Peppers (Instrumental)” at 4:09 form a trio that works best together. The unmastered version is the best of the three, with a raw energy that the instrumentals smooth out.
Taco Truck x VB Closes It Out
“Taco Truck x VB (Unmastered)” at 5:56 and its instrumental at 5:53 close the record on a high note. Both versions are strong, with the unmastered taking the lead. The instrumental is clean and steady, but it lacks the spark of the original.
The Unmastered Versions Are The Star
The record is uneven, but its shape is clear. The unmastered versions are where the personality lives. The instrumentals are often competent but interchangeable. The collaborations — SYML, RIOPY, Father John Misty, Bleachers, Tommy Genesis — are the highlights, especially when the unmastered takes are included.
“The Grants,” which opens her ninth studio album, climbs to the metaphorical mountaintop, guided by John Denver’s sense of mystical wonderment.
That line captures the spirit of the whole project: Del Rey is climbing somewhere, and she is bringing her friends along for the ride.
What Works And What Doesn’t
The record succeeds when it lets its collaborators shine and when it lets Del Rey’s own catalog speak for itself. It fails when it settles into the middle ground of competent, unremarkable instrumental covers. Here is what stands out across the record:
- “The Grants (Instrumental)” sets a quiet, atmospheric tone
- “Let The Light In (feat. Father John Misty) [Unmastered]” is sharp, funny, and dark
- “Peppers (feat. Tommy Genesis) [Unmastered]” has a raw energy
- “Taco Truck x VB (Unmastered)” closes the record strongly
These four unmastered versions carry the weight of the entire project.
The Final Word
Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd Demos is not a record you put on and forget about. It is a record you return to, piece by piece, to hear what the songs sound like without the vocals, or before they were finished. It is a companion to her studio work, not a replacement for it. The unmastered versions are the reason to buy it. The instrumentals are pleasant filler. The collaborations are the payoff.
The record succeeds when it lets its collaborators shine and when it lets Del Rey’s own catalog speak for itself. It fails when it settles into the middle ground of competent, unremarkable instrumental covers. That is a fair trade, though. The highs are high enough to justify the middling stretches.
It is a mature, cohesive work, and it treats death as a framing device rather than an escape hatch. That is a rare thing in pop music, and it earns the effort required to get through the weaker stretches.
- The Grants (Instrumental)4:55
- Did you know that there's a tunnel under Ocean Blvd (Radio Edit)4:03
- Did you know that there's a tunnel under Ocean Blvd (Instrumental)4:45
- Sweet (Unmastered)3:36
- Sweet (Instrumental)3:35
- A&W (Radio Edit)4:37
- A&W (Instrumental)7:14
- Judah Smith Interlude (Unmastered)4:34
- Judah Smith Interlude (Instrumental)4:37
- Candy Necklace (Instrumental)5:15
- Jon Batiste Interlude (Unmastered)3:34
- Jon Batiste Interlude (Instrumental)3:34
- Kintsugi (Unmastered)6:22
- Kintsugi (Instrumental)6:19
- Fingertips (Unmastered)5:46
- Fingertips (Instrumental)5:48
- Paris, Texas (feat. SYML) [Unmastered]3:28
- Paris, Texas (Instrumental)3:27
- Grandfather please stand on the shoulders of my father while he's deep-sea fishing (feat. RIOPY) [Unmastered]4:00
- Grandfather please stand on the shoulders of my father while he's deep-sea fishing (Instrumental)4:00
- Let The Light In (feat. Father John Misty) [Unmastered]4:38
- Let The Light In (Instrumental)4:38
- Margaret (feat. Bleachers) [Unmastered]5:55
- Margaret (Instrumental)5:40
- Fishtail (Unmastered)4:04
- Fishtail (Instrumental)4:03
- Peppers (feat. Tommy Genesis) [Unmastered]4:07
- Peppers (feat. Tommy Genesis) [Instrumental with Sample]4:09
- Peppers (Instrumental)4:09
- Taco Truck x VB (Unmastered)5:56
- Taco Truck x VB (Instrumental)5:53
