At first glance, this work might appear more like an arduous academic quiz rather than a new popular music project from an artist whose previous single was a collaboration with a global pop icon. Split across four different sections and voiced in 13 languages, we have a breathtaking orchestral-influenced album exploring female mystique, spiritual ascent, and bodily transformation, often through the lens of various women saints. The dissolution of a romance—a topic treated with raw openness elsewhere—soars skyward here, supported by the constant sound of a full symphony orchestra and work from a Pulitzer-winning composer among an extensive roll call of collaborators. Its sheer ambition by itself renders the work of other pop stars seem quite modest.
Rising Above Academic Pretense
That this album succeeds in transcend dry academic posturing feels almost miraculous, and full credit going to the artist. Although this is not her first album to alchemize the past with modern styles, its ambitions are much higher on Lux, and the balancing act more pronounced. What really elevates this fourth release, beyond its complex melodies, dense arrangements, and engrained drama, is a core spirit of joy. Similar to the iconic artist during her peak, there is a wondrous quality to Rosalía's singing which sweeps the listener up in its whirlwind. When she is breaking your heart apart, the listener nevertheless want to be alongside her for the ride.
A Signature Moment of Exuberance
This exuberant energy shines clearly during a stirring Italian song about a saint. It luxuriates in a sorrowful whirlpool for several moments. Suddenly, everything falls away, to reveal there's a spontaneous laugh and a declaration prior to a hilariously over-the-top orchestral surge crashes in with comedic impact. The song then shifts to the wild track driven by galloping orchestration, an imposing choral group, and a surprise appearance from none other than Björk.
"The charm of this album is that you never quite know—or even want to predict—where it will go next."
Almost every track ends at a totally distinct place from where it began. A track explores the fleeting nature of fame with a delicate orchestration only to collapsing into digital chaos. Elsewhere, a cut echoing her previous rhythmic work starts off moody and brooding, with menacing beats, until sudden flamenco handclaps and an angelic choir arrive to smooth its rough corners.
The Balance Between Art and Pop
Another crucial balancing act of Lux is straddling the line of bold experimentation and broad accessibility. This is little surprise that the album has achieved the artist's first release to crack the Top 5 of key markets: its heart contains a suite of utterly undeniable pop songs. One track performed primarily in the English language builds on a chorus that feels to gather increasingly infectious melodies as it spirals upward. This trick is echoed on another expansive track that grows and contracts, intertwining multiple tunes like an intricate weave.
- A dance-infused song seduces with its jaunty, Disney-adjacent drama and an anthemic hook.
- Lyrically, it aligns the pop culture honesty of contemporary breakup anthems, lambasting an ex- lover described as an "emotional terrorist".
- Throughout the album, the vocals have a painted-on smile, akin to a fairy-tale figure hiding a knife: "Gold medal in acting like a scoundrel / You've the podium of letdown."
An Opulent Banquet for the Soul
This album represents popular music on a grand scale, an ambitious reach for high artistry in an era of impending AI-generated blankness. It rejects solipsism in favor of glorious elevation, creating a dramatic drama that skillfully controls its own built-in ridiculousness. It is an abundant well of buried treasure that requires time to fully explore but doesn't seem like hard work. While some big pop albums of the year felt like a meager scraps, Lux is a sumptuous banquet at which the guests at the table, perhaps tipsy on sacred drink, flit from conversations about ancient saints, the profound feeling of soul-shattering grief, and common gossip about hopeless partners. In essence, it's a modern-day theatrical production from pop's truly endlessly inventive practitioner.
