On the surface, Lux may look closer to a difficult scholarly examination rather than a new pop project by a musician whose last single featured a global K-pop icon. Divided across 4 distinct movements and performed in thirteen tongues, it is a breathtaking symphonic work that delves into feminine mystique, spiritual ascent, and bodily change, frequently through the perspective of various saintly figures. The dissolution of a romance—a theme treated with grounded openness elsewhere—soars upwards here, carried by the constant presence of a full symphony orchestra and input from an award-winning composer among an extensive roll call of contributors. The pure audacity alone renders the work of contemporary pop stars look rather laughable.
Rising Above Academic Pretense
That this album manages to escape overly academic chin-stroking is almost miraculous, and sole credit going to the artist. While it's not the first time project to alchemize the past and the present, its scale feel far higher on Lux, with the tightrope walk far more pronounced. What really raises this fourth release, outside of its complex tunes, dense arrangements, and inherent theatricality, is a core spirit of playfulness. Similar to the legendary artist at her peak, there is a captivating sense to Rosalía's voice which sweeps the listener up in its whirlwind. When she is tearing hearts in two, you still desire to be alongside her through the journey.
A Signature Moment of Joy
That playful energy shines brightly on the stunning piano-led ballad inspired by a saint. It luxuriates in a string-drenched whirlpool for several minutes. Then, everything falls away, and there's a gleeful laugh followed by a declaration prior to a hilariously exaggerated orchestral crescendo crashes down like cartoonish impact. The track immediately segues into the wild single driven by racing strings, an imposing choir, and a surprise role from none other than Björk.
"The charm with Lux is that the listener rarely exactly know—or even wish to know—where you will go next."
Almost every track finishes in a completely distinct place than where it started. One moment examines the transient trappings of fame with a featherlight orchestration only to collapsing in digital cacophony. Another, a cut that recalls her previous trap-infused style starts off moody and brooding, featuring prowling vocals, before fluttering traditional handclaps and a heavenly chorus enter to smooth its jagged corners.
The Balance Between Experiment & Accessibility
Another crucial achievement of the album is navigating the gap between radical experimentation and broad appeal. It is no surprise that the album has become the artist's highest-charting work to break into the upper reaches of key charts: at its core a suite of utterly undeniable hits. A song performed primarily in English swells on a chorus that seems to collect more and more nagging hooks as it spins skyward. This feat is repeated on a different powerful ballad that grows and contracts, intertwining multiple melodies as a complex tapestry.
- A waltz-like song charms with its jaunty, Disney-adjacent flair and an anthemic chorus.
- In its words, it aligns the pop culture honesty of other heartbreak anthems, eviscerating an ex- lover described as an "emotional bully".
- Across the album, the singing carry a sharp edge, like a fairy-tale figure concealing a knife: "Top prize in being a scoundrel / You have the podium of disappointment."
A Maximalist Feast for the Soul
This album is popular music on a maximalist scale, a hungry reach for high Art amid of impending artificial blankness. It rejects self-absorption for glorious elevation, crafting an over-the-top spectacle that masterfully manages its inherent ridiculousness. This is an abundant well of buried treasure that takes time to completely explore but never feels like hard work. Where some big releases of the year seemed like a meager meal, Lux is a sumptuous feast where the characters at the table, perhaps tipsy on sacred drink, flit between conversations about historical saints, the profound sensation of heartbreaking grief, and shared gossip about useless partners. In essence, it's a contemporary theatrical production from pop's most restlessly creative practitioner.
