Initially, this work could seem closer to a challenging scholarly examination rather than a new popular music record from a musician whose last hit featured an international K-pop star. Broken into 4 different parts and sung in thirteen tongues, we have a head-spinning symphonic work that delves into female mystique, religious ascent, and corporal change, often via the lens of different women saints. The dissolution of a love affair—a theme treated with grounded honesty elsewhere—soars heavenward on this record, buoyed by the constant presence of a full symphony orchestra and work from a Pulitzer-winning songwriter among a vast roll call of collaborators. Its sheer ambition by itself renders the efforts of contemporary artists seem rather modest.
Transcending Academic Pretense
That Lux succeeds in transcend overly academic posturing is nothing short of miraculous, and complete credit belonging to the artist. While it's not her first project to blend historical sounds and the present, the scale are much greater on Lux, and the tightrope walk far more pronounced. What really elevates her fourth release, outside of its complex tunes, rich arrangements, and inherent theatricality, is an essential spirit of joy. Much like the legendary Björk at her height, there is a captivating sense to Rosalía's singing which sweeps you up in its whirlwind. When she's tearing your heart apart, you still want to be alongside her for the ride.
A Prime Example of Exuberance
This playful spirit shines brightly during a stirring Italian ballad about Saint Clare. It bathes in a sorrowful whirlpool over more than four minutes. Then, all the music drops away, to reveal we hear a gleeful laugh and a comment before a hilariously over-the-top orchestral crescendo crashes in with comedic force. The track then segues into the wild track driven by racing strings, an imposing choir, and a surprise role from the artist herself.
"The magic of this album is that you never exactly know—or even wish to know—what you is going to next."
Almost each song finishes in a totally different place from where it started. A track examines the transient nature of fame over a featherlight symphony only to disintegrating into digital chaos. Another, a cut echoing the artist's previous trap-infused style begins off moody and sinister, featuring prowling vocals, until fluttering traditional handclaps and an angelic choir enter to soften the song's rough corners.
The Balance Of Experiment & Accessibility
Another crucial balancing act on Lux involves straddling the gap between bold experimentation and broad appeal. This is little surprise that it has achieved her first work to crack the upper reaches of major charts: at its core a collection of truly undeniable pop songs. One track sung primarily in English builds around a refrain that feels to gather more and more nagging hooks as it spirals skyward. This feat is echoed by another powerful ballad that expands and constricts, intertwining multiple melodies as an intricate weave.
- A dance-infused song charms via its jaunty, Disney-adjacent drama and an anthemic hook.
- In its words, it shares the cultural impact of contemporary heartbreak anthems, lambasting a former partner described as an "psychological terrorist".
- Across these tracks, the singing have a painted-on edge, like a storybook character hiding a knife: "Gold medal in acting like a motherfucker / You've won the trophy of disappointment."
An Opulent Banquet for the Soul
Lux represents pop on a maximalist level, a hungry reach for capital-A Art amid of impending AI-generated blankness. It eschews solipsism in favor of glorious transcendence, creating a dramatic spectacle that skillfully manages its built-in excess. This is a deep well of buried treasure that requires patience to completely explore but never seem like hard work. Where other major pop albums of the year felt like a meager meal, Lux offers a lavish banquet where the guests at it, some intoxicated on sacred drink, flit between conversations about ancient figures, the profound sensation of soul-shattering grief, and shared gossip about useless men. In essence, it's a modern-day theatrical production from music's truly endlessly creative practitioner.
