At first glance, this work might appear closer to a difficult university quiz rather than a new pop record by an artist whose last single featured an international pop icon. Broken into four separate parts and sung in 13 languages, it is a dizzying symphonic album that delves into female mystery, spiritual transcendence, and corporal transformation, frequently through the perspective of different women saints. The dissolution of a romance—a theme treated with grounded honesty elsewhere—is launched upwards here, buoyed by the constant presence of a full orchestra and work from a Pulitzer-winning composer among an extensive roll call of contributors. The pure ambition by itself makes the work of contemporary pop stars look quite small.
Transcending Scholarly Pretense
The fact that this album manages to avoid dry academic posturing feels nothing short of miraculous, with full credit going to Rosalía. Although this is not the first time project to blend the past with modern styles, the ambitions are much greater on Lux, with the tightrope walk far more precarious. What truly raises her fourth album, outside of its multilayered melodies, dense compositions, and engrained drama, is a core sense of fun. Much like the iconic Björk during her peak, there is a wondrous quality to Rosalía's singing which sweeps the listener into its whirlwind. When she is tearing hearts apart, the listener nevertheless want to stay right there through the journey.
A Signature Example of Joy
This playful spirit comes forth brightly during the stirring piano-led ballad about a saint. It luxuriates in a sorrowful melancholy for several moments. Then, all the music falls away, and we hear a spontaneous laugh followed by a comment before a comically over-the-top string surge crashes in with comedic impact. The track then shifts to the frenetic track driven by galloping strings, a powerful choir, and a cameo role from none other than herself.
"The magic with this album lies in the listener never exactly understand—or even want to know—what it will go next."
Nearly each track ends in a completely distinct place than where it began. A track explores the fleeting trappings of fame over a delicate symphony before collapsing into electronic cacophony. Elsewhere, a song that recalls the artist's earlier rhythmic style begins off moody and sinister, with prowling beats, before fluttering flamenco rhythms and an angelic choir enter to soften the song's rough corners.
The Bridge Between Experiment & Pop
Another crucial achievement of Lux is navigating the gap of radical innovation and broad appeal. This is no surprise that the album has become her highest-charting work to break into the upper reaches of key charts: at its core a collection of truly undeniable pop songs. One track sung entirely in the English language builds around a chorus that seems to collect increasingly infectious melodies while it spins upward. This trick gets echoed by a different expansive ballad that expands and constricts, intertwining layered tunes as an intricate weave.
- A dance-infused song charms with its playful, theatrical flair and an anthemic chorus.
- In its words, it shares the cultural honesty of other heartbreak anthems, eviscerating a former partner described as an "psychological terrorist".
- Across the album, the vocals carry a sharp smile, akin to a fairy-tale figure concealing a knife: "Gold medal in acting like a motherfucker / You've the podium of letdown."
An Opulent Feast for the Ears
This album represents pop on a maximalist level, an ambitious grasp for capital-A Art in an era of looming AI-generated sameness. It eschews self-absorption for glorious elevation, creating an over-the-top spectacle that skillfully controls its own built-in excess. It is a deep source of buried treasure that requires time to completely explore but never feels like hard work. While other major pop albums of the year seemed like feasting on meal, Lux is a sumptuous feast at which the guests around the table, some tipsy on sacred drink, flit from conversations about ancient figures, the galvanizing sensation of soul-shattering grief, and shared gossip about hopeless partners. It is a modern-day musical from pop's truly restlessly inventive practitioner.
