At first glance, Lux might appear more like a challenging academic challenge rather than a new popular music album from an artist whose last hit featured an international pop star. Broken across four different parts and performed in thirteen tongues, it is a breathtaking symphonic work that delves into feminine mystique, religious ascent, and physical change, often through the prism of various women saints. The dissolution of a relationship—a theme handled with raw honesty elsewhere—is shot upwards here, buoyed by the constant presence of a full symphony orchestra and work from an award-winning songwriter among an extensive roll call of collaborators. The pure daring by itself renders the efforts of other artists appear quite laughable.
Rising Above Scholarly Exercise
The fact that Lux manages to avoid overly academic chin-stroking is nothing short of miraculous, and sole credit belonging to the artist. Although this is not her first project to alchemize the past and modern styles, its stakes are much higher here, with the balancing act far more dramatic. What truly elevates this fourth release, beyond its multilayered tunes, rich compositions, and inherent drama, proves to be a core spirit of fun. Much like the legendary artist at her peak, there is a wondrous sense to Rosalía's voice that pulls you into its whirlwind. Even when she is breaking hearts apart, you nevertheless desire to be right there for the ride.
A Prime Moment of Joy
This exuberant energy comes forth clearly during the stunning piano-led song about Saint Clare. It luxuriates in a sorrowful melancholy for more than four minutes. Then, all the music drops away, and there's a gleeful giggle and a comment before a comically over-the-top orchestral crescendo crashes down with cartoonish impact. The song immediately segues into the wild single driven by galloping strings, a powerful choir, and a surprise role from none other than Björk.
"The charm of this album lies in the listener rarely exactly understand—or even wish to know—what you will go next."
Nearly every song finishes at a totally different point than how it started. One moment explores the transient nature of fame over a featherlight orchestration only to disintegrating in electronic chaos. Elsewhere, a cut echoing her earlier rhythmic style begins off dark and sinister, with prowling vocals, before fluttering traditional rhythms and a heavenly chorus enter to soften the song's jagged edges.
The Balance Of Experiment & Accessibility
A key balancing act on Lux is straddling the gap between bold experimentation and broad accessibility. It is no coincidence that it has become her first release to break into the Top 5 of major markets: at its core a suite of truly undeniable pop songs. One track sung primarily in English swells around a refrain that feels to gather more and more nagging hooks while it spirals skyward. This feat gets repeated by another expansive ballad that expands and constricts, weaving layered tunes as a complex tapestry.
- A waltz-like number charms via its jaunty, theatrical flair and a chant-along chorus.
- In its words, it shares with pop culture honesty of contemporary breakup anthems, eviscerating a former lover labeled an "psychological terrorist".
- Throughout the album, the singing have a sharp smile, like a fairy-tale character concealing a knife: "Top prize in being a motherfucker / You've the podium of letdown."
An Opulent Feast for the Soul
Lux represents popular music on a maximalist level, an ambitious reach for high artistry in an era of looming AI-generated sameness. It eschews solipsism for sublime elevation, creating a dramatic spectacle that skillfully manages its own built-in ridiculousness. It is a deep well of hidden treasure that requires patience to completely explore but never feels like a chore. Where some major pop albums of the year felt like a meager scraps, this record is a lavish banquet where the guests at the table, some intoxicated on sacred drink, flit from conversations about historical figures, the profound sensation of soul-shattering grief, and common stories about hopeless partners. It is a contemporary musical from pop's most restlessly inventive practitioner.
