On the surface, this work may look more like an arduous scholarly quiz rather than a new popular music record from an artist who just had a last single featured an international pop icon. Split into four separate parts and voiced in thirteen tongues, this is a dizzying orchestral-influenced album that delves into feminine mystique, religious ascent, and bodily transformation, frequently via the lens of various women saints. The dissolution of a relationship—a topic treated with grounded honesty elsewhere—is launched upwards here, carried by the lush sound of a major symphony orchestra and contributions from a Pulitzer-winning songwriter among a vast list of collaborators. Its sheer daring by itself makes the work of other pop stars seem quite modest.
Rising Above Academic Exercise
That this album manages to transcend overly academic chin-stroking is nearly a miracle, with complete praise belonging to Rosalía. Although it's not the first time album to alchemize historical sounds with modern styles, the scale feel much higher on Lux, and the tightrope walk more dramatic. The element that really elevates this fourth release, beyond its complex melodies, rich arrangements, and inherent drama, is a core sense of joy. Similar to the legendary Björk at her peak, you find a captivating quality to the vocalist's singing which sweeps the listener up in its whirlwind. When she is tearing hearts apart, you still desire to be right there through the journey.
A Signature Moment of Exuberance
This playful spirit comes forth brightly on the stunning piano-led song inspired by Saint Clare. It bathes in a sorrowful whirlpool over several minutes. Suddenly, everything falls silent, to reveal we hear a spontaneous laugh followed by a comment before a hilariously exaggerated string crescendo crashes in with cartoonish force. The song then segues into the frenetic single driven by galloping orchestration, an imposing choral group, and a surprise appearance from the artist Björk.
"The magic of Lux lies in the listener never exactly know—nor want to predict—what you will go to next."
Nearly every track ends at a completely different point than how it started. A track examines the transient trappings of fame with a featherlight symphony before disintegrating into digital chaos. Elsewhere, a cut that recalls her earlier trap-infused style starts off dark and brooding, with prowling vocals, before fluttering traditional handclaps and an angelic choir arrive to smooth the song's rough corners.
The Balance Of Art & Pop
Another crucial achievement of the album involves navigating the gap between bold experimentation and mainstream appeal. It is little surprise that it has become the artist's first work to break into the Top 5 of major charts: its heart contains a suite of utterly undeniable pop songs. A song performed entirely in the English language swells around a chorus that feels to gather more and more infectious melodies while it spins upward. This trick gets echoed on another expansive ballad that expands and constricts, weaving layered melodies like an intricate tapestry.
- A waltz-like song charms via its jaunty, Disney-adjacent flair and an anthemic chorus.
- Lyrically, it aligns the pop culture impact of other breakup anthems, eviscerating a former partner described as an "psychological bully".
- Across the album, the singing carry a painted-on smile, akin to a storybook character concealing a knife: "Gold medal in being a scoundrel / You have won the trophy of letdown."
An Opulent Banquet for the Soul
This album is pop on a maximalist level, an ambitious grasp for high artistry amid of impending AI-generated blankness. It eschews solipsism for sublime transcendence, crafting an over-the-top spectacle that masterfully manages its inherent excess. This is a deep well of buried gems that takes time to fully explore but doesn't feels like hard work. While other major pop albums of the year felt like feasting on meal, this record is a lavish banquet where the guests around the table, perhaps tipsy on holy wine, flutter between discussions about historical figures, the profound sensation of heartbreaking grief, and common stories about useless partners. In essence, it's a contemporary musical from pop's most restlessly creative practitioner.
