On the surface, this album might appear more like an arduous scholarly challenge rather than a new pop album by a musician who just had a previous hit featured an international pop star. Divided across 4 distinct sections and performed in thirteen tongues, we have a head-spinning classical-tinged work that delves into feminine mystique, religious ascent, and physical transformation, often through the perspective of various female saints. The end of a love affair—a theme handled with grounded openness elsewhere—soars skyward here, carried by the lush sound of a full orchestra and work from a Pulitzer-winning songwriter within a vast list of collaborators. Its sheer daring alone renders the efforts of other artists seem quite modest.
Transcending Scholarly Pretense
That this album manages to avoid overly intellectual chin-stroking is almost a miracle, with complete praise going to Rosalía. While it's not the first time project to blend the past with modern styles, its ambitions feel far greater on Lux, and the tightrope walk far more pronounced. What truly elevates this fourth album, outside of its multilayered melodies, dense arrangements, and engrained drama, proves to be an essential spirit of playfulness. Similar to the legendary artist during her height, you find a captivating sense to Rosalía's voice which sweeps you into its tornado. Even when she's tearing hearts in two, you still want to stay alongside her for the ride.
A Prime Moment of Joy
This exuberant spirit comes forth clearly on a stunning piano-led ballad inspired by a saint. It luxuriates in a string-drenched whirlpool for more than four minutes. Then, everything falls away, to reveal there's a gleeful giggle and a declaration before a hilariously over-the-top string crescendo thuds in with cartoonish force. The song then segues into the frenetic track driven by galloping orchestration, a powerful choral group, and a surprise role from the artist Björk.
"The magic of this album is that you rarely quite know—or even want to predict—what you will go next."
Nearly every track finishes at a completely distinct point than how it started. One moment examines the transient nature of celebrity with a delicate orchestration before collapsing into digital chaos. Another, a song that recalls the artist's earlier rhythmic style begins off dark and sinister, with menacing beats, before sudden traditional handclaps and a heavenly chorus arrive to smooth the song's jagged edges.
The Balance Of Experiment & Accessibility
Another crucial balancing act on Lux is navigating the line between bold innovation and broad accessibility. It is little coincidence that it has become her highest-charting release to break into the upper reaches of major charts: its heart contains a collection of truly catchy hits. A song performed entirely in the English language builds on a refrain that feels to gather more and more nagging melodies while it spirals upward. That feat is repeated on another expansive track that grows and constricts, weaving multiple tunes as an intricate tapestry.
- A dance-infused song charms with its playful, Disney-adjacent drama and an anthemic chorus.
- Lyrically, it aligns the cultural honesty of contemporary heartbreak songs, eviscerating an ex- partner described as an "emotional terrorist".
- Across these tracks, the singing carry a sharp edge, akin to a fairy-tale character hiding a knife: "Gold medal in being a motherfucker / You've the podium of disappointment."
An Opulent Banquet for the Soul
This album is popular music on a grand scale, a hungry reach for capital-A artistry in an era of impending artificial blankness. It eschews self-absorption for glorious elevation, creating an over-the-top drama that masterfully controls its own built-in excess. This is a deep well of buried treasure that takes patience to completely explore but never seem like a chore. Where some big pop albums of the year seemed like feasting on meal, Lux offers a sumptuous banquet at which the guests at it, some tipsy on sacred wine, flit between discussions about historical saints, the galvanizing sensation of soul-shattering sadness, and common stories about hopeless men. In essence, it's a contemporary theatrical production from pop's truly endlessly creative visionary.
