On the surface, this work could seem more like a challenging university quiz than the latest pop record by an artist who just had a previous single was a collaboration with a global K-pop icon. Split into four distinct sections and sung in 13 languages, we have a dizzying orchestral-influenced work investigating female mystery, spiritual ascent, and corporal change, frequently through the lens of various female saints. The dissolution of a relationship—a topic treated with raw honesty elsewhere—is launched heavenward on this record, buoyed by the lush presence of a full symphony orchestra and input from a Pulitzer-winning composer among an extensive roll call of collaborators. Its sheer ambition alone makes the work of other artists seem quite modest.
Rising Above Scholarly Pretense
The fact that Lux succeeds in escape dry intellectual chin-stroking feels nearly miraculous, with complete praise belonging to the artist. Although it's not her first album to blend the past with modern styles, the stakes feel far higher here, with the balancing act far more pronounced. What truly elevates this fourth album, beyond its complex melodies, rich compositions, and engrained drama, is a core sense of joy. Much like the legendary Björk at her peak, there is a wondrous sense to Rosalía's voice which sweeps the listener up in its whirlwind. When she's tearing your heart apart, you still want to be right there through the ride.
A Signature Example of Exuberance
This playful energy shines clearly during the stunning Italian song inspired by a saint. It luxuriates in a sorrowful melancholy over several minutes. Suddenly, all the music drops away, and there's a gleeful giggle followed by a comment prior to a comically exaggerated orchestral crescendo thuds down with comedic impact. The song immediately shifts to the wild single featuring galloping orchestration, a powerful choir, and a surprise role from the artist herself.
"The magic of Lux lies in the listener never quite understand—or even want to know—what it is going next."
Almost every track finishes in a totally different point than how it started. A track explores the fleeting nature of fame over a featherlight symphony only to disintegrating in electronic chaos. Elsewhere, a song that recalls her previous trap-infused style starts off dark and sinister, with menacing vocals, until fluttering flamenco handclaps and an angelic choir arrive to smooth its rough edges.
The Balance Between Art & Pop
Another crucial balancing act on Lux is navigating the gap between radical experimentation and broad accessibility. This is little surprise that the album has become her highest-charting release to break into the Top 5 of key markets: its heart contains a collection of utterly catchy hits. A song sung primarily in English swells around a refrain that feels to gather increasingly infectious hooks as it spins upward. That feat is repeated by another expansive track that expands and contracts, weaving multiple melodies as a complex weave.
- A dance-infused number charms via its playful, theatrical flair and a chant-along chorus.
- In its words, it shares the pop culture honesty of contemporary breakup anthems, eviscerating a former partner described as an "psychological terrorist".
- Across these tracks, the singing have a painted-on edge, like a fairy-tale character concealing a knife: "Top prize in being a motherfucker / You have won the trophy of letdown."
An Opulent Feast for the Soul
Lux is pop on a grand scale, an ambitious grasp for capital-A artistry in an era of looming AI-generated sameness. It rejects solipsism for glorious elevation, creating a dramatic drama that skillfully manages its own built-in ridiculousness. This is an abundant source of buried gems that takes patience to fully explore but doesn't seem like a chore. Where some major pop albums of the year seemed like a meager scraps, Lux offers a sumptuous banquet at which the guests at it, perhaps intoxicated on sacred drink, flit from conversations about ancient figures, the profound feeling of soul-shattering sadness, and common stories about useless partners. In essence, it's a modern-day theatrical production from music's most restlessly creative practitioner.
