On the surface, this album could seem more like a challenging university examination than a new pop project by an artist who just had a previous single was a collaboration with an international K-pop star. Split into 4 different parts and voiced in 13 tongues, we have a dizzying classical-tinged work exploring female mystique, spiritual transcendence, and bodily transformation, often through the perspective of different women saints. The end of a romance—a topic handled with grounded openness elsewhere—is launched skyward on this record, supported by the constant presence of a full orchestra and contributions from a Pulitzer-winning songwriter among an extensive list of contributors. Its sheer daring by itself renders the efforts of other artists appear quite small.
Transcending Scholarly Exercise
The fact that this album succeeds in avoid dry academic posturing feels almost a miracle, with complete credit belonging to Rosalía. Although this is not her first album to blend the past with the present, its scale feel far higher on Lux, with the tightrope walk more dramatic. The element that truly raises her fourth release, outside of its multilayered melodies, dense arrangements, and engrained theatricality, proves to be a core spirit of playfulness. Similar to the iconic artist during her height, you find a captivating sense to the vocalist's voice which sweeps you into its whirlwind. When she's tearing hearts apart, you still desire to be right there through the ride.
A Prime Example of Joy
That playful spirit comes forth brightly during the stunning Italian song inspired by Saint Clare. It bathes in a string-drenched whirlpool over several moments. Suddenly, all the music drops away, and there's a spontaneous giggle and a comment before a comically over-the-top orchestral crescendo crashes in like comedic force. The song then shifts to the frenetic single featuring galloping strings, an imposing choir, and a surprise appearance from the artist Björk.
"The magic with this album lies in the listener rarely exactly know—nor want to know—where it will go next."
Nearly every song ends at a completely different point from where it started. One moment explores the fleeting trappings of fame with a featherlight symphony only to collapsing in digital chaos. Elsewhere, a cut echoing her earlier rhythmic style starts off moody and sinister, with menacing beats, until fluttering flamenco handclaps and an angelic chorus arrive to soften the song's rough corners.
The Bridge Of Experiment & Accessibility
Another crucial achievement of the album involves straddling the gap between bold experimentation and broad appeal. This is no coincidence that the album has become the artist's first release to break into the Top 5 of key markets: its heart contains a collection of utterly catchy hits. One track performed entirely in English builds around a refrain that feels to gather more and more nagging melodies while it spins skyward. This feat is repeated on a different expansive track that expands and contracts, intertwining layered tunes as an intricate tapestry.
- A dance-infused number charms with its playful, theatrical drama and an anthemic hook.
- In its words, it aligns the pop culture honesty of other breakup songs, eviscerating a former lover described as an "emotional bully".
- Across the album, the singing carry a painted-on smile, like a storybook character concealing a knife: "Gold medal in acting like a scoundrel / You have won the trophy of letdown."
An Opulent Feast for the Soul
This album is popular music on a grand level, a hungry grasp for high Art in an era of looming AI-generated sameness. It rejects solipsism for glorious transcendence, crafting a dramatic spectacle that skillfully manages its inherent excess. It is a deep well of hidden gems that requires time to completely explore but never feels like a chore. Where some big releases of the year felt like a meager scraps, Lux is a sumptuous banquet at which the guests at it, perhaps tipsy on holy drink, flit between discussions about ancient figures, the galvanizing feeling of heartbreaking sadness, and shared gossip about useless men. In essence, it's a modern-day musical from music's most endlessly inventive visionary.
