On the surface, this album could seem closer to an arduous scholarly quiz than a new pop album by a musician whose previous hit featured a global K-pop star. Broken across four separate parts and sung in 13 tongues, we have a dizzying symphonic opus investigating female mystique, religious ascent, and bodily transformation, frequently via the lens of various female saints. The dissolution of a love affair—a topic handled with raw openness elsewhere—is shot skyward here, buoyed by the lush sound of a major symphony orchestra and input from an award-winning composer among an extensive list of contributors. The pure daring by itself renders the work of other pop stars appear rather laughable.
Rising Above Scholarly Pretense
The fact that this album succeeds in escape overly academic chin-stroking is nothing short of miraculous, with sole praise belonging to the artist. While this is not her first album to alchemize historical sounds with modern styles, its scale feel much higher here, with the tightrope walk more precarious. The element that really elevates this fourth album, beyond its multilayered melodies, dense compositions, and inherent drama, proves to be an essential sense of fun. Similar to the legendary Björk at her peak, there is a captivating sense to Rosalía's voice that pulls you up in its whirlwind. When she's breaking hearts in two, the listener nevertheless want to be right there for the ride.
A Signature Example of Joy
This playful spirit shines brightly during a stirring Italian ballad inspired by Saint Clare. It bathes in a sorrowful melancholy for several moments. Suddenly, all the music drops silent, and there's a gleeful giggle and a declaration before a comically over-the-top orchestral crescendo thuds down with cartoonish impact. The song immediately segues to the frenetic single featuring racing strings, a powerful choir, and a surprise role from the artist Björk.
"The magic with Lux lies in you never quite understand—or even want to know—what it is going next."
Almost each song finishes at a totally distinct place from where it began. A track explores the transient nature of celebrity with a featherlight symphony before disintegrating in digital cacophony. Another, a cut that recalls her previous trap-infused work begins out dark and sinister, featuring menacing beats, until fluttering flamenco rhythms and a heavenly choir arrive to soften the song's rough edges.
The Balance Between Art and Accessibility
A key balancing act on the album is straddling the line between radical experimentation and mainstream accessibility. It is no surprise that the album has become her highest-charting release to crack the Top 5 of key charts: its heart contains a collection of utterly undeniable pop songs. A song sung entirely in English builds on a chorus that seems to gather more and more infectious hooks while it spins skyward. This trick is repeated on a different expansive ballad that expands and contracts, weaving layered tunes like an intricate weave.
- A waltz-like number seduces with its playful, theatrical drama and an anthemic hook.
- In its words, it shares with pop culture honesty of other breakup songs, lambasting a former lover described as an "emotional bully".
- Across these tracks, the singing carry a painted-on smile, akin to a fairy-tale character concealing a blade: "Top prize in being a motherfucker / You have the podium of disappointment."
An Opulent Banquet for the Ears
Lux is pop on a grand scale, a hungry reach for high Art amid of looming AI-generated sameness. It rejects self-absorption in favor of sublime elevation, creating an over-the-top spectacle that skillfully controls its inherent ridiculousness. This is an abundant source of hidden gems that requires patience to fully explore but doesn't seem like a chore. Where other major releases of the year seemed like feasting on scraps, Lux is a sumptuous feast at which the guests at the table, some tipsy on sacred wine, flutter from conversations about ancient figures, the galvanizing feeling of heartbreaking grief, and shared gossip about hopeless partners. It is a contemporary theatrical production from pop's most restlessly creative practitioner.
