At first glance, this work could seem closer to a difficult university examination rather than the latest popular music record from an artist whose last single was a collaboration with a global pop icon. Broken across 4 separate movements and voiced in thirteen tongues, it is a breathtaking classical-tinged album exploring female mystery, spiritual transcendence, and physical change, frequently through the prism of various saintly figures. The dissolution of a love affair—a theme handled with grounded openness elsewhere—soars heavenward here, supported by the constant presence of a full symphony orchestra and work from an award-winning songwriter within a vast list of collaborators. Its sheer audacity by itself renders the efforts of other artists appear quite modest.
Rising Above Scholarly Exercise
That Lux succeeds in transcend dry academic posturing is nothing short of miraculous, with complete credit belonging to Rosalía. While it's not her first project to fuse historical sounds with modern styles, the ambitions are much greater here, and the tightrope walk more precarious. The element that really elevates this fourth album, outside of its complex melodies, rich compositions, and inherent theatricality, proves to be an essential spirit of joy. Similar to the iconic Björk at her height, you find a wondrous sense to Rosalía's voice which sweeps you up in its tornado. Even when she is breaking your heart in two, the listener still desire to stay right there through the journey.
A Prime Example of Exuberance
This exuberant spirit shines brightly on a stirring Italian song about Saint Clare. It bathes in a string-drenched melancholy for several minutes. Suddenly, everything drops away, to reveal we hear a spontaneous giggle and a declaration prior to a hilariously over-the-top string surge thuds in with comedic force. The track immediately segues into the frenetic single featuring galloping orchestration, an imposing choir, and a cameo role from none other than Björk.
"The magic of this album is that you never exactly know—or even want to know—where it is going to next."
Nearly every track finishes in a totally distinct point than how it began. A track explores the fleeting trappings of celebrity with a delicate symphony before disintegrating in digital cacophony. Elsewhere, a song echoing the artist's previous rhythmic work starts off dark and brooding, with prowling vocals, until sudden flamenco rhythms and an angelic choir enter to soften its rough corners.
The Bridge Between Experiment & Accessibility
Another crucial achievement of the album is straddling the line between radical innovation and mainstream accessibility. It is no surprise that it has achieved the artist's highest-charting release to break into the Top 5 of key charts: its heart contains a suite of truly undeniable hits. One track sung entirely in the English language builds around a refrain that seems to collect increasingly nagging melodies as it spins skyward. This trick is repeated on a different powerful ballad that grows and constricts, weaving layered tunes as an intricate weave.
- A dance-infused number charms with its jaunty, theatrical drama and a chant-along hook.
- In its words, it aligns with cultural honesty of contemporary heartbreak anthems, eviscerating a former partner described as an "psychological bully".
- Throughout the album, the singing carry a painted-on edge, akin to a fairy-tale figure concealing a blade: "Gold medal in acting like a motherfucker / You've won the trophy of letdown."
An Opulent Banquet for the Soul
Lux represents pop on a grand level, a hungry grasp for capital-A Art in an era of looming AI-generated blankness. It eschews solipsism for glorious transcendence, creating a dramatic spectacle that masterfully controls its own built-in ridiculousness. It is a deep well of hidden gems that takes time to completely mine but never seem like hard work. While other big pop albums of the year felt like feasting on meal, this record is a sumptuous feast at which the characters around the table, some tipsy on sacred drink, flutter from conversations about ancient saints, the profound sensation of soul-shattering sadness, and common stories about hopeless partners. It is a modern-day musical from pop's truly restlessly creative practitioner.
