Initially, Lux might appear closer to an arduous university examination than a new popular music album by a musician who just had a previous hit was a collaboration with a global K-pop icon. Broken into 4 different movements and voiced in thirteen languages, we have a head-spinning symphonic work exploring female mystery, religious ascent, and bodily transformation, frequently via the lens of various saintly figures. The end of a relationship—a topic treated with raw honesty elsewhere—is shot skyward here, supported by the lush presence of a major symphony orchestra and input from a Pulitzer-winning songwriter within a vast list of collaborators. Its sheer daring alone renders the efforts of other artists seem rather laughable.
Rising Above Academic Pretense
That Lux manages to escape overly intellectual chin-stroking feels nothing short of miraculous, with complete credit belonging to the artist. While this is not her first project to blend the past with modern styles, its scale feel far higher here, with the balancing act far more dramatic. What really elevates this fourth release, outside of its complex tunes, rich compositions, and inherent drama, is a core spirit of playfulness. Much like the iconic artist at her peak, there is a captivating quality to Rosalía's voice which sweeps you into its tornado. When she's tearing hearts apart, you nevertheless want to be alongside her through the journey.
A Prime Moment of Joy
This playful energy shines brightly during the stunning Italian ballad about a saint. It luxuriates in a sorrowful whirlpool for several minutes. Suddenly, all the music drops silent, to reveal we hear a spontaneous giggle followed by a comment prior to a comically over-the-top string crescendo crashes down with cartoonish force. The song then segues into the wild single driven by galloping strings, an imposing choir, and a cameo role from none other than Björk.
"The magic with this album is that the listener never quite understand—or even wish to know—where you is going next."
Nearly every track ends at a completely different point from how it started. One moment examines the transient nature of fame over a delicate orchestration only to collapsing in electronic chaos. Another, a cut that recalls her previous trap-infused work begins off moody and brooding, featuring menacing beats, until fluttering traditional handclaps and an angelic choir arrive to smooth the song's rough edges.
The Balance Of Art and Pop
Another crucial achievement of Lux is navigating the line of bold innovation and broad accessibility. This is little surprise that it has become her first release to break into the upper reaches of key charts: its heart contains a collection of truly undeniable hits. A song sung primarily in English swells around a refrain that feels to gather more and more infectious hooks as it spirals skyward. This feat is repeated on another expansive track that expands and contracts, weaving multiple melodies as a complex weave.
- A waltz-like song seduces via its playful, Disney-adjacent drama and a chant-along hook.
- Lyrically, it shares the cultural honesty of other breakup anthems, eviscerating a former partner described as an "emotional bully".
- Throughout these tracks, the singing carry a sharp smile, like a storybook figure concealing a knife: "Gold medal in being a scoundrel / You've won the trophy of disappointment."
An Opulent Feast for the Ears
This album is popular music on a maximalist level, a hungry reach for capital-A Art in an era of looming artificial blankness. It rejects solipsism in favor of glorious elevation, crafting an over-the-top spectacle that masterfully manages its built-in ridiculousness. It is a deep source of hidden gems that requires patience to fully mine but doesn't seem like hard work. While other big pop albums of the year felt like feasting on meal, this record is a sumptuous banquet at which the guests at it, some intoxicated on holy drink, flit between discussions about historical figures, the profound feeling of heartbreaking sadness, and shared stories about hopeless partners. In essence, it's a contemporary musical from pop's most restlessly inventive practitioner.
