Initially, this work could seem more like a difficult scholarly challenge than the latest popular music album by a musician whose previous single was a collaboration with a global K-pop icon. Divided across four distinct parts and voiced in thirteen tongues, we have a breathtaking symphonic work that delves into female mystique, spiritual transcendence, and corporal change, often by way of the prism of different saintly figures. The end of a love affair—a topic handled with raw openness elsewhere—is launched skyward here, buoyed by the constant sound of a full symphony orchestra and contributions from a Pulitzer-winning composer within a long roll call of collaborators. The pure audacity alone renders the work of other artists look rather modest.
Rising Above Scholarly Exercise
That this album succeeds in escape overly academic chin-stroking feels almost miraculous, with sole credit belonging to Rosalía. Although this is not her first project to fuse historical sounds and the present, its ambitions are much greater on Lux, and the tightrope walk more pronounced. What truly elevates this fourth album, beyond its complex tunes, dense compositions, and engrained theatricality, is a core spirit of playfulness. Much like the iconic Björk during her peak, there is a wondrous sense to the vocalist's singing which sweeps you up in its tornado. When she's tearing your heart in two, the listener nevertheless want to stay alongside her for the ride.
A Prime Example of Exuberance
That exuberant spirit comes forth clearly during a stirring piano-led song about Saint Clare. It luxuriates in a string-drenched melancholy over several moments. Suddenly, all the music drops away, and there's a gleeful giggle and a declaration prior to a hilariously exaggerated orchestral surge thuds in with cartoonish impact. The track immediately segues into the frenetic single featuring racing orchestration, a powerful choir, and a surprise appearance from none other than herself.
"The magic of this album is that you never exactly understand—or even wish to predict—what you is going to next."
Almost every song ends in a totally distinct point than how it started. A track examines the transient trappings of fame over a featherlight symphony only to disintegrating in electronic chaos. Another, a song that recalls the artist's earlier trap-infused work starts off dark and brooding, with prowling vocals, before fluttering flamenco handclaps and a heavenly chorus arrive to smooth its jagged edges.
The Bridge Between Experiment & Accessibility
Another crucial achievement on the album is navigating the gap between bold experimentation and broad appeal. It is no coincidence that the album has become her highest-charting release to crack the Top 5 of key charts: its heart contains a collection of truly catchy pop songs. A song sung entirely in English builds on a chorus that seems to collect more and more infectious melodies while it spirals skyward. This trick gets repeated by a different powerful ballad that expands and contracts, weaving multiple tunes as a complex weave.
- A waltz-like number charms via its jaunty, Disney-adjacent drama and an anthemic chorus.
- Lyrically, it aligns with pop culture honesty of other heartbreak songs, eviscerating a former partner described as an "emotional bully".
- Throughout these tracks, the vocals have a painted-on edge, akin to a storybook character concealing a blade: "Gold medal in being a scoundrel / You have the podium of disappointment."
An Opulent Feast for the Ears
This album is popular music on a grand level, a hungry grasp for high artistry amid of impending artificial blankness. It rejects solipsism in favor of sublime transcendence, crafting an over-the-top drama that skillfully manages its own built-in excess. This is a deep well of hidden gems that takes time to completely explore but never feels like hard work. While some major pop albums of the year seemed like a meager meal, Lux is a sumptuous banquet where the characters at the table, perhaps intoxicated on holy wine, flit between discussions about historical saints, the galvanizing feeling of soul-shattering grief, and common stories about hopeless men. It is a modern-day musical from pop's truly restlessly creative practitioner.
