Lana Del Rey’s Non-Album Demos is a sprawling collection of leftovers, remixes and alternate takes that runs 34 tracks and 115 minutes. It is not a statement record. It is a filing cabinet. The idea is simple: put everything that didn’t make an album somewhere, so fans can hear what got left behind. That simplicity is also the problem. The record is too long, too scattered, and too much of it plays like a footnote to her actual work.
The Track List, In Order
The record opens with “Big Eyes (demo)” and “Dayglo Reflection,” two versions of songs that sit at opposite ends of her sound. “Big Eyes” is a demo with rough edges and a live feel. “Dayglo Reflection” is a radio edit and an instrumental, the kind of polished cut that lands better than the demo does. “Don’t Call Me Angel” follows with a mix that references the song’s title and an instrumental. It’s a decent pop track, but it doesn’t justify the space.
“God Save Our Young Blood” gets three versions — a radio edit, an instrumental and a stem edit — and none of them move the needle. “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” shows up as an a cappella and an instrumental, both brief and pleasant but forgettable. “Once Upon a Dream” appears in a trailer mix and an instrumental, and the trailer version is the one that actually works. “Party Monster” and “Prisoner” are instrumentals, neither of which adds much to the record’s case.
“Riverside (demo)” is a solid cut, one of the few demos here that feels essential rather than disposable. “Say Yes to Heaven” gets four versions — radio edit, instrumental, version 2 and version 3 — and the radio edit is the only one that stands out. “Stargirl Interlude” is a short instrumental that passes without leaving much of an impression.
“Wait for Life” comes in a cappella and instrumental forms, both over four minutes. Neither earns that length. “Watercolor Eyes” gets a demo, an alternate mix and an episode edit, and the alternate mix is the best of the bunch. “You Must Love Me (demo)” is a short, sweet cut that works as a demo should. “You’ll Never Walk Alone (film mix)” is a strong entry, and the a cappella stem edit is a nice touch.
“Young and Beautiful” is the standout here. It appears as mix 45, a cappella stem edit, demo 2, film mix and a jazz foxtrot version, plus the instrumental to that foxtrot. The foxtrot itself is the highlight, a tight, playful take on a familiar melody. The rest of the “Young and Beautiful” entries are competent but redundant.
What Works And What Doesn’t
The strongest moments are the foxtrot, the trailer version of “Once Upon a Dream,” the “Say Yes to Heaven” radio edit, the “Stargirl Interlude” instrumental, and the demo of “Riverside.” Those five tracks carry the weight of the whole record.
The weakest moments are the instrumentals that repeat elsewhere — “Party Monster,” “Prisoner,” “Watercolor Eyes” in its instrumental form, and the instrumental foxtrot. These cuts exist to fill space, not to add meaning.
Ranking The Standouts
Here is how the record’s strongest tracks rank:
- “Young and Beautiful (jazz foxtrot version)” — the clear high point, a tight and playful take on a familiar melody.
- “Once Upon a Dream (trailer mix)” — a short, effective edit that gives the song new shape.
- “Say Yes to Heaven (radio edit)” — the best version of this track, and one of the few that sounds finished.
- “Stargirl Interlude (instrumental)” — a short, atmospheric cut that sets a mood without overstaying its welcome.
- “Riverside (demo)” — a solid demo that feels essential rather than filler.
The Verdict
Non-Album Demos is a mixed bag. It has five or six tracks that are genuinely good — the foxtrot, the trailer edit, the radio edit, the interlude and the demo — and about 25 tracks that exist to pad the runtime. The record is a curiosity for fans who want to see how songs were built, but it is not a record anyone needs to own.
Del Rey has released so many albums that the market for her demos is small. This one will satisfy completists and little else. The foxtrot version of “Young and Beautiful” is worth hearing once, but the rest of the record is filler dressed up as art.
- Big Eyes (demo)4:42
- Dayglo Reflection (radio edit)3:13
- Dayglo Reflection (instrumental)4:16
- Don’t Call Me Angel (“Angel” reference mix)3:09
- Don’t Call Me Angel (instrumental)3:25
- God Save Our Young Blood (radio edit)3:14
- God Save Our Young Blood (instrumental)3:55
- God Save Our Young Blood (stem edit)3:49
- I’ll Be Home for Christmas (a cappella)2:31
- I’ll Be Home for Christmas (instrumental)2:31
- Once Upon a Dream (trailer mix)1:34
- Once Upon a Dream (instrumental)3:29
- Party Monster (instrumental)4:09
- Prisoner (instrumental)4:34
- Riverside (demo)3:46
- Say Yes to Heaven (radio edit)3:04
- Say Yes to Heaven (instrumental)3:29
- Say Yes to Heaven (version 2)3:36
- Say Yes to Heaven (version 3)3:31
- Stargirl Interlude (instrumental)1:51
- Wait for Life (a cappella)4:09
- Wait for Life (instrumental)4:53
- Watercolor Eyes (demo)2:22
- Watercolor Eyes (alternate mix)3:34
- Watercolor Eyes (alternate mix) (episode edit)1:27
- You Must Love Me (demo)2:49
- You’ll Never Walk Alone (film mix)4:35
- Young and Beautiful (mix 45)3:56
- Young and Beautiful (mix 45) (a cappella) (stem edit)3:48
- Young and Beautiful (demo 2)3:55
- Young and Beautiful (film mix)4:04
- Young and Beautiful (jazz foxtrot version)2:18
- Young and Beautiful (jazz foxtrot version) (instrumental)2:13
- Young and Beautiful (stem mix)4:03
