On the surface, Lux might appear closer to an arduous academic quiz rather than a new pop project from an artist whose last single featured a global pop star. Divided into 4 separate sections and sung in thirteen languages, it is a breathtaking symphonic work exploring female mystique, spiritual transcendence, and corporal change, often through the prism of different women saints. The end of a romance—a topic treated with grounded openness elsewhere—is shot upwards on this record, buoyed by the lush presence of a full orchestra and contributions from an award-winning composer within a vast list of contributors. Its sheer daring by itself makes the work of other pop stars appear quite modest.
Transcending Scholarly Pretense
The fact that this album manages to escape overly academic posturing is nothing short of a miracle, with full praise belonging to the artist. While this is not her first album to fuse historical sounds with the present, the ambitions feel much greater here, with the tightrope walk more pronounced. What truly raises her fourth release, beyond its multilayered melodies, dense arrangements, and inherent drama, proves to be an essential sense of fun. Much like the legendary Björk during her peak, there is a captivating sense to Rosalía's voice which sweeps you up in its tornado. Even when she's breaking hearts apart, you nevertheless desire to stay alongside her for the journey.
A Signature Moment of Joy
This playful spirit shines clearly during a stunning Italian ballad about a saint. It luxuriates in a string-drenched whirlpool over more than four moments. Suddenly, all the music falls silent, and there's a spontaneous laugh followed by a comment before a comically over-the-top orchestral surge crashes down with comedic force. The track immediately shifts to the frenetic single featuring racing strings, an imposing choir, and a cameo appearance from none other than Björk.
"The charm with Lux is that you never exactly understand—or even wish to know—what you will go next."
Almost every track finishes in a completely distinct point than where it started. One moment examines the fleeting nature of celebrity with a featherlight symphony only to collapsing in digital chaos. Elsewhere, a song that recalls her earlier rhythmic style starts off moody and brooding, with menacing vocals, until fluttering traditional rhythms and a heavenly chorus arrive to smooth the song's rough corners.
The Bridge Between Art & Pop
Another crucial achievement on Lux is straddling the line of radical experimentation and mainstream accessibility. It is no surprise that the album has become her highest-charting work to break into the Top 5 of major charts: at its core a collection of truly undeniable hits. A song performed primarily in English swells on a refrain that seems to collect more and more infectious hooks while it spirals skyward. That trick gets repeated on a different expansive ballad that expands and contracts, intertwining layered tunes as a complex tapestry.
- A waltz-like song charms via its jaunty, Disney-adjacent drama and a chant-along chorus.
- In its words, it shares the cultural honesty of contemporary heartbreak songs, eviscerating an ex- partner labeled an "psychological terrorist".
- Across the album, the singing have a painted-on edge, like a storybook figure hiding a blade: "Top prize in acting like a scoundrel / You've won the trophy of letdown."
An Opulent Feast for the Ears
Lux is pop on a maximalist level, a hungry reach for capital-A artistry in an era of impending AI-generated sameness. It eschews solipsism in favor of glorious transcendence, crafting an over-the-top drama that skillfully controls its built-in excess. It is a deep source of hidden gems that requires patience to completely mine but never feels like hard work. Where some big releases of the year seemed like feasting on meal, this record is a lavish feast where the guests at it, perhaps tipsy on sacred wine, flit from discussions about historical figures, the galvanizing sensation of heartbreaking sadness, and shared stories about hopeless partners. In essence, it's a contemporary theatrical production from pop's most restlessly creative visionary.
