On the surface, Lux might appear closer to an arduous university challenge than a new pop album by a musician who just had a previous single was a collaboration with an international K-pop star. Divided across four different sections and performed in thirteen languages, we have a breathtaking symphonic opus exploring feminine mystery, spiritual ascent, and bodily change, often by way of the lens of various women saints. The dissolution of a love affair—a topic treated with grounded openness elsewhere—is launched heavenward on this record, buoyed by the lush presence of a full symphony orchestra and work from a Pulitzer-winning songwriter within an extensive list of collaborators. The pure daring alone makes the work of contemporary artists look rather small.
Rising Above Scholarly Pretense
That this album manages to avoid overly intellectual chin-stroking is nearly miraculous, with full credit going to Rosalía. While it's not her first project to fuse the past with the present, its stakes feel much greater here, with the tightrope walk more dramatic. The element that truly elevates her fourth album, beyond its multilayered melodies, rich arrangements, and inherent drama, is an essential spirit of joy. Similar to the legendary Björk during her peak, you find a captivating sense to the vocalist's voice which sweeps the listener up in its whirlwind. When she's tearing hearts apart, you still desire to stay alongside her through the journey.
A Signature Example of Joy
That playful energy shines brightly during the stunning piano-led song inspired by a saint. It bathes in a string-drenched whirlpool over more than four minutes. Suddenly, everything falls silent, to reveal there's a gleeful giggle followed by a declaration before a hilariously exaggerated orchestral surge thuds down like comedic impact. The song then shifts to the wild single driven by racing strings, a powerful choir, and a surprise role from the artist herself.
"The charm with Lux is that the listener rarely exactly understand—nor wish to know—what it will go to next."
Almost each track ends at a totally distinct point than how it started. A track explores the fleeting trappings of celebrity with a delicate orchestration before disintegrating into electronic cacophony. Another, a song echoing her previous rhythmic work begins out moody and sinister, featuring menacing vocals, until fluttering flamenco rhythms and an angelic chorus enter to smooth the song's rough corners.
The Balance Of Art and Pop
A key achievement of Lux is straddling the line between bold innovation and mainstream appeal. It is no coincidence that it has become her highest-charting release to break into the Top 5 of major charts: at its core a suite of utterly undeniable pop songs. A song sung entirely in English builds around a chorus that feels to collect more and more nagging hooks as it spirals skyward. This trick is echoed by another expansive ballad that expands and contracts, weaving multiple tunes as a complex weave.
- A waltz-like number charms via its playful, Disney-adjacent drama and a chant-along chorus.
- Lyrically, it aligns the cultural impact of other breakup songs, eviscerating a former partner labeled an "emotional bully".
- Across these tracks, the singing have a painted-on edge, like a fairy-tale character concealing a blade: "Top prize in being a scoundrel / You've the podium of letdown."
A Maximalist Banquet for the Soul
This album is popular music on a grand level, an ambitious grasp for high artistry in an era of impending artificial sameness. It rejects solipsism for glorious elevation, creating a dramatic spectacle that masterfully controls its built-in excess. It is an abundant well of hidden gems that takes patience to completely mine but never feels like hard work. Where other big pop albums of the year seemed like feasting on meal, this record offers a lavish banquet at which the characters at the table, perhaps intoxicated on sacred wine, flit from discussions about ancient saints, the galvanizing feeling of heartbreaking grief, and shared gossip about useless partners. In essence, it's a contemporary musical from pop's most endlessly creative practitioner.
