At first glance, this album might appear closer to a difficult scholarly examination rather than a new popular music record from a musician whose last single was a collaboration with an international K-pop star. Divided across 4 separate parts and sung in thirteen languages, we have a dizzying symphonic work investigating feminine mystique, spiritual transcendence, and corporal change, often through the lens of different women saints. The end of a love affair—a topic handled with raw honesty elsewhere—is shot upwards here, buoyed by the lush presence of a full orchestra and contributions from a Pulitzer-winning songwriter among a vast roll call of contributors. Its sheer ambition alone renders the work of other pop stars look rather small.
Rising Above Scholarly Exercise
The fact that this album succeeds in escape overly intellectual posturing feels nothing short of a miracle, and full praise going to Rosalía. While this is not her first album to blend the past with the present, its scale feel far greater here, and the tightrope walk far more dramatic. The element that truly elevates her fourth release, outside of its complex melodies, rich arrangements, and inherent theatricality, is a core spirit of playfulness. Similar to the legendary artist during her peak, you find a wondrous quality to Rosalía's voice that pulls you up in its whirlwind. Even when she is tearing hearts apart, the listener nevertheless desire to be alongside her through the journey.
A Signature Moment of Exuberance
This exuberant spirit comes forth clearly during a stunning piano-led song about Saint Clare. It bathes in a string-drenched whirlpool for several moments. Suddenly, all the music falls away, to reveal we hear a gleeful giggle followed by a declaration prior to a comically exaggerated orchestral crescendo crashes down like cartoonish force. The song immediately shifts to the wild track featuring racing strings, an imposing choir, and a cameo appearance from the artist Björk.
"The magic of this album lies in the listener never exactly know—nor want to know—where you will go to next."
Nearly each track concludes at a totally different place than how it began. A track examines the fleeting trappings of celebrity with a featherlight symphony before disintegrating into digital cacophony. Another, a song echoing her earlier rhythmic work starts off dark and sinister, featuring menacing vocals, until fluttering flamenco handclaps and a heavenly chorus arrive to smooth its rough corners.
The Balance Of Art & Pop
Another crucial balancing act of the album involves straddling the gap of bold innovation and mainstream accessibility. It is no surprise that it has become the artist's highest-charting work to break into the upper reaches of major charts: its heart contains a suite of utterly catchy pop songs. One track performed entirely in English swells around a refrain that feels to collect more and more nagging hooks while it spirals upward. This trick gets repeated by another expansive track that expands and constricts, intertwining layered tunes like an intricate weave.
- A waltz-like song seduces via its jaunty, Disney-adjacent drama and an anthemic hook.
- In its words, it aligns with pop culture impact of contemporary heartbreak songs, eviscerating a former partner described as an "psychological terrorist".
- Across the album, the singing carry a sharp smile, like a fairy-tale figure concealing a blade: "Top prize in being a scoundrel / You've won the trophy of letdown."
A Maximalist Banquet for the Soul
Lux is pop on a grand scale, a hungry reach for capital-A Art amid of looming AI-generated sameness. It eschews solipsism for glorious transcendence, crafting a dramatic drama that masterfully manages its own inherent excess. This is an abundant well of hidden treasure that requires time to fully explore but never seem like a chore. While some major releases of the year seemed like a meager meal, Lux is a lavish feast at which the guests around the table, perhaps tipsy on holy drink, flit from conversations about ancient figures, the galvanizing sensation of soul-shattering sadness, and shared stories about useless partners. It is a modern-day musical from music's truly endlessly inventive practitioner.
