Initially, Lux could seem closer to a challenging academic challenge than the latest pop album by a musician whose previous single was a collaboration with a global K-pop star. Split into 4 different parts and performed in 13 tongues, this is a head-spinning symphonic work that delves into feminine mystique, spiritual ascent, and bodily transformation, frequently through the lens of different saintly figures. The end of a love affair—a topic handled with grounded honesty elsewhere—is launched skyward on this record, carried by the lush presence of a full orchestra and work from an award-winning composer among a long list of collaborators. The pure ambition by itself makes the work of contemporary artists appear rather modest.
Transcending Academic Exercise
The fact that this album succeeds in escape overly academic chin-stroking is nearly a miracle, and full praise belonging to the artist. Although this is not the first time project to fuse the past with the present, its ambitions feel far greater on Lux, and the balancing act more precarious. What really elevates her fourth release, outside of its complex tunes, rich compositions, and inherent drama, is an essential spirit of playfulness. Similar to the legendary Björk during her peak, there is a wondrous quality to Rosalía's singing which sweeps the listener up in its whirlwind. Even when she is breaking hearts in two, you nevertheless want to be right there for the ride.
A Signature Example of Exuberance
That exuberant energy shines clearly during the stunning piano-led ballad inspired by a saint. It bathes in a sorrowful melancholy for several moments. Then, everything falls silent, and there's a spontaneous giggle and a comment before a comically over-the-top orchestral surge thuds in with comedic impact. The song immediately segues into the frenetic single driven by galloping orchestration, an imposing choral group, and a cameo role from none other than Björk.
"The magic of this album is that the listener never quite understand—or even wish to know—where it will go next."
Almost each song ends at a completely different point than where it began. One moment explores the transient trappings of celebrity with a featherlight orchestration before disintegrating into electronic chaos. Elsewhere, a song echoing the artist's earlier trap-infused style starts off moody and brooding, with menacing beats, until fluttering traditional rhythms and an angelic choir arrive to soften the song's rough corners.
The Balance Of Art and Pop
A key achievement of Lux is straddling the line between bold experimentation and broad appeal. It is little surprise that it has become the artist's first release to break into the Top 5 of key markets: its heart contains a suite of truly undeniable hits. A song performed entirely in English swells on a refrain that seems to collect increasingly nagging hooks while it spins skyward. That feat is echoed on another powerful ballad that grows and contracts, intertwining layered tunes as a complex tapestry.
- A waltz-like number charms via its playful, Disney-adjacent drama and an anthemic hook.
- In its words, it aligns with cultural honesty of other breakup songs, eviscerating a former lover described as an "psychological terrorist".
- Throughout these tracks, the vocals carry a painted-on smile, like a storybook character concealing a blade: "Top prize in acting like a motherfucker / You have won the trophy of disappointment."
An Opulent Feast for the Ears
This album represents popular music on a grand level, a hungry grasp for capital-A Art in an era of impending AI-generated blankness. It eschews self-absorption for sublime elevation, crafting a dramatic drama that masterfully controls its inherent excess. This is a deep source of hidden treasure that requires patience to fully mine but doesn't feels like a chore. While other big pop albums of the year felt like a meager meal, Lux offers a lavish feast where the characters around it, some tipsy on sacred wine, flit from discussions about ancient figures, the profound feeling of heartbreaking sadness, and shared gossip about useless men. It is a contemporary musical from music's most endlessly inventive practitioner.
