Billie Eilish has released yet another single titled “No Time To Die,” written as the lead track on the 25th James Bond film of the same name. Eilish has rapidly earned her rise to fame in the span of a few years. Only having released her EP “don’t smile at me” in 2017 at the age of 15, she released her first studio album “WHEN WE FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?” two years later. Eilish’s angsty and grim musical persona complements the mood of previous Bond themes such as Tina Turner’s “Goldeneye” and Nancy Sinatra’s “You Only Live Twice.”

Like other James Bond songs, “No Time To Die” contains a heavy romantic theme. Eilish illustrates a story in which she is betrayed by a lover. She describes the excruciating pain of making oneself vulnerable to a partner and then being stabbed in the back. Although the subject of betrayal is relatable and has poetic potential, the lyrics of the song itself are rather mundane and on the nose. Most of the lines are direct and offer very little wordplay or cleverness. Perhaps a ballad shouldn’t need such lyrical devices; however, that doesn’t take away from the fact that the lyrics can feel almost dry at some points.

Musically, Eilish incorporates classic musical motifs from Bond theme songs into her more familiar ballad-style songwriting. The song begins with an elegant piano line and is accompanied by unsettling yet familiar strings. In the first verse, Eilish sings in her signature light, airy voice, complemented by a simple piano chord progression as well as hints of feathery flute-like whistles. The chorus builds on the previous sounds by amplifying Eilish’s voice as well as introducing a tremolo guitar line. The song then crescendos with grandiose orchestra-like strings that leaves the listener breathless. The second verse and the rest of the song develops on the already-established sounds. Finally, the song comes to a satisfying end with the signature minor ninth chord present in the theme of the first movie, both titled “Dr. No.”

In their recent work, the brother-sister team of Eilish-O’Connell has shown signs of losing steam when it comes to songwriting. Many songs begin to sound monotonous and uninspired. Although this song boasts the recognizable Billie-Eilish-ballad style, it also brings several new sounds to the table, many of which I wholeheartedly welcome. Featuring a hit artist like Eilish, the classic James Bond series can bring in new and younger audiences, many of which, like me, have never seen the series. All in all, the song itself can be lyrically dull, but the new orchestra-esque sounds are a great addition to Eilish’s already existing musical style.