Initially, this album may look more like an arduous academic challenge than a new pop project by an artist whose previous single featured a global K-pop icon. Divided across 4 separate sections and sung in thirteen tongues, we have a dizzying orchestral-influenced work that delves into female mystery, religious transcendence, and bodily change, frequently by way of the lens of different saintly figures. The dissolution of a relationship—a theme treated with grounded openness elsewhere—soars heavenward on this record, carried by the constant presence of a full symphony orchestra and input from an award-winning songwriter within an extensive roll call of collaborators. The pure ambition alone makes the efforts of contemporary pop stars seem rather laughable.
Transcending Academic Pretense
The fact that this album manages to escape dry academic chin-stroking is nearly a miracle, and full credit going to the artist. Although this is not her first album to alchemize historical sounds and modern styles, the ambitions feel far higher on Lux, and the tightrope walk far more pronounced. What truly raises her fourth release, beyond its multilayered tunes, dense compositions, and inherent theatricality, proves to be a core spirit of joy. Similar to the iconic artist at her height, there is a captivating sense to Rosalía's singing which sweeps the listener into its whirlwind. Even when she is tearing hearts apart, you still want to stay alongside her for the ride.
A Signature Moment of Exuberance
That playful energy shines brightly on a stirring piano-led song inspired by Saint Clare. It luxuriates in a sorrowful melancholy over several moments. Then, all the music drops silent, and we hear a gleeful giggle followed by a declaration before a comically over-the-top orchestral surge thuds in with comedic impact. The song then shifts into the frenetic track driven by galloping orchestration, an imposing choir, and a cameo appearance from none other than Björk.
"The magic of this album lies in the listener never quite understand—nor wish to know—where it will go next."
Almost each track ends at a totally distinct place than how it began. One moment examines the transient trappings of celebrity over a delicate orchestration only to disintegrating into digital cacophony. Another, a cut that recalls the artist's earlier trap-infused style starts off moody and sinister, featuring menacing vocals, before fluttering flamenco rhythms and an angelic choir arrive to soften its rough edges.
The Bridge Of Art & Pop
Another crucial balancing act of the album involves straddling the line of radical innovation and broad appeal. This is little surprise that it has achieved her highest-charting work to crack the upper reaches of major charts: at its core a suite of utterly catchy hits. A song performed entirely in the English language swells on a chorus that seems to gather more and more nagging melodies while it spirals skyward. That feat is echoed by a different powerful ballad that expands and constricts, weaving multiple melodies as an intricate weave.
- A waltz-like song seduces with its jaunty, Disney-adjacent drama and a chant-along hook.
- Lyrically, it aligns the pop culture honesty of other breakup anthems, eviscerating an ex- lover labeled an "emotional terrorist".
- Across the album, the singing carry a sharp edge, akin to a storybook figure hiding a knife: "Top prize in being a motherfucker / You have won the trophy of disappointment."
An Opulent Banquet for the Soul
Lux represents popular music on a maximalist scale, a hungry grasp for high Art in an era of looming AI-generated blankness. It eschews solipsism in favor of sublime elevation, creating an over-the-top spectacle that masterfully controls its own inherent ridiculousness. This is an abundant well of buried gems that takes patience to completely explore but never seem like a chore. Where some major releases of the year felt like feasting on scraps, this record offers a sumptuous feast where the characters around the table, perhaps intoxicated on sacred drink, flutter between conversations about historical figures, the galvanizing feeling of heartbreaking sadness, and common stories about useless men. In essence, it's a contemporary musical from music's most restlessly creative visionary.
