At first glance, this album might appear more like a difficult university challenge rather than a new pop project from an artist whose previous single was a collaboration with a global K-pop star. Broken across 4 different parts and sung in 13 tongues, we have a head-spinning classical-tinged opus that delves into female mystique, religious ascent, and physical change, frequently through the prism of various female saints. The dissolution of a love affair—a topic handled with raw openness elsewhere—is shot heavenward on this record, buoyed by the lush presence of a major orchestra and input from an award-winning songwriter within a vast list of contributors. The pure ambition alone renders the work of contemporary artists appear quite laughable.
Transcending Academic Pretense
The fact that Lux manages to avoid dry academic chin-stroking feels nothing short of miraculous, and sole credit going to Rosalía. Although it's not her first project to fuse historical sounds and modern styles, its scale are much greater on Lux, with the tightrope walk far more dramatic. What truly raises this fourth album, outside of its complex melodies, dense compositions, and engrained theatricality, proves to be an essential sense of playfulness. Similar to the legendary artist at her height, there is a wondrous sense to Rosalía's singing which sweeps you up in its whirlwind. Even when she is tearing hearts apart, you still desire to be alongside her for the ride.
A Prime Moment of Joy
This playful energy comes forth clearly during the stirring Italian song about a saint. It bathes in a sorrowful whirlpool over more than four minutes. Then, everything falls silent, to reveal there's a spontaneous giggle and a declaration prior to a hilariously over-the-top orchestral crescendo thuds down like cartoonish force. The track then segues to the frenetic single driven by racing strings, an imposing choral group, and a surprise appearance from none other than Björk.
"The magic with Lux lies in the listener rarely exactly understand—nor wish to know—what you will go to next."
Almost each track concludes at a completely distinct place than how it began. A track examines the transient trappings of celebrity with a delicate symphony before disintegrating in digital cacophony. Elsewhere, a cut that recalls the artist's previous rhythmic work begins out dark and sinister, featuring prowling beats, before fluttering flamenco handclaps and a heavenly chorus arrive to soften the song's rough edges.
The Balance Of Art & Accessibility
A key achievement of Lux is straddling the line between bold innovation and mainstream accessibility. It is no surprise that the album has achieved her first work to break into the Top 5 of major markets: its heart contains a suite of truly undeniable hits. A song sung primarily in the English language builds around a refrain that feels to collect increasingly nagging hooks as it spins skyward. That feat gets repeated on another expansive ballad that expands and constricts, weaving multiple melodies as an intricate tapestry.
- A dance-infused number seduces with its playful, theatrical drama and a chant-along chorus.
- Lyrically, it aligns with cultural impact of contemporary heartbreak anthems, eviscerating a former lover described as an "emotional bully".
- Across these tracks, the vocals carry a painted-on smile, like a fairy-tale figure concealing a knife: "Top prize in being a motherfucker / You've the podium of disappointment."
An Opulent Feast for the Soul
Lux is pop on a maximalist level, a hungry reach for high Art amid of impending AI-generated sameness. It rejects solipsism for glorious elevation, crafting an over-the-top drama that skillfully manages its own inherent ridiculousness. This is a deep source of buried treasure that takes patience to fully mine but doesn't seem like a chore. Where some major releases of the year felt like feasting on meal, this record is a sumptuous feast at which the guests around it, some intoxicated on holy wine, flit between conversations about ancient saints, the profound sensation of heartbreaking sadness, and shared gossip about useless men. In essence, it's a contemporary musical from pop's most restlessly inventive visionary.
