On the surface, this work might appear more like a difficult academic examination than the latest pop album from a musician who just had a previous hit featured a global K-pop icon. Divided across 4 separate parts and voiced in 13 tongues, we have a dizzying classical-tinged opus exploring female mystery, spiritual ascent, and bodily transformation, often through the prism of various female saints. The dissolution of a love affair—a topic handled with raw openness elsewhere—is shot heavenward on this record, carried by the lush presence of a major orchestra and contributions from an award-winning songwriter among a vast roll call of contributors. The pure ambition alone makes the work of other artists appear rather laughable.
Transcending Scholarly Pretense
The fact that Lux manages to avoid dry academic chin-stroking feels nothing short of a miracle, with full praise going to Rosalía. While this is not her first album to fuse the past and modern styles, its ambitions feel much higher here, with the balancing act more pronounced. What really raises this fourth release, beyond its multilayered tunes, dense compositions, and inherent drama, proves to be an essential spirit of fun. Similar to the legendary Björk at her height, there is a wondrous quality to the vocalist's voice that pulls the listener into its whirlwind. Even when she's tearing your heart in two, the listener still want to stay alongside her for the journey.
A Prime Moment of Joy
This exuberant energy shines brightly during the stirring Italian ballad about a saint. It luxuriates in a string-drenched whirlpool for more than four moments. Then, all the music falls away, and we hear a spontaneous laugh and a declaration before a hilariously exaggerated string crescendo thuds down like comedic force. The song then shifts to the frenetic track driven by galloping strings, a powerful choir, and a cameo appearance from none other than Björk.
"The charm with Lux lies in you never quite understand—or even wish to know—what you will go to next."
Almost every song concludes in a totally distinct place from where it began. One moment examines the fleeting trappings of celebrity over a delicate symphony only to collapsing in digital chaos. Another, a song that recalls her earlier rhythmic work begins out moody and sinister, with menacing vocals, before sudden traditional rhythms and a heavenly choir arrive to soften the song's rough corners.
The Bridge Between Experiment and Pop
Another crucial achievement of the album is navigating the gap between bold experimentation and broad accessibility. This is little coincidence that the album has become her first release to crack the upper reaches of major markets: its heart contains a suite of utterly catchy hits. A song sung primarily in the English language swells on a chorus that feels to gather increasingly infectious melodies as it spins upward. That trick is repeated on another expansive track that grows and constricts, weaving multiple tunes as an intricate weave.
- A dance-infused song seduces with its jaunty, theatrical flair and an anthemic chorus.
- Lyrically, it aligns with cultural honesty of other heartbreak anthems, eviscerating an ex- partner described as an "psychological bully".
- Throughout the album, the vocals have a sharp edge, akin to a fairy-tale figure concealing a blade: "Gold medal in being a motherfucker / You have won the trophy of letdown."
An Opulent Feast for the Soul
Lux is pop on a grand scale, a hungry grasp for high artistry amid of impending AI-generated sameness. It rejects self-absorption in favor of glorious elevation, creating an over-the-top drama that masterfully controls its built-in excess. It is an abundant source of buried gems that takes patience to fully mine but never seem like a chore. While some big releases of the year felt like a meager scraps, Lux is a sumptuous banquet at which the guests at it, some tipsy on sacred drink, flit from discussions about ancient figures, the galvanizing sensation of soul-shattering sadness, and common stories about useless partners. In essence, it's a modern-day musical from pop's truly restlessly inventive visionary.
