Initially, Lux may look closer to an arduous scholarly quiz rather than a new pop project from a musician whose last hit featured an international pop star. Split across four different sections and voiced in 13 languages, this is a breathtaking orchestral-influenced work investigating feminine mystery, religious transcendence, and corporal change, often through the lens of different women saints. The end of a relationship—a theme handled with raw honesty elsewhere—is shot skyward here, carried by the lush sound of a full orchestra and contributions from an award-winning composer among an extensive roll call of collaborators. The pure daring by itself renders the work of other pop stars seem quite small.
Transcending Scholarly Pretense
That Lux succeeds in avoid overly intellectual chin-stroking feels almost a miracle, with complete praise going to Rosalía. Although it's not her first project to blend historical sounds with the present, its scale feel much higher on Lux, with the balancing act more pronounced. The element that really elevates this fourth album, beyond its complex melodies, dense arrangements, and engrained theatricality, proves to be an essential sense of playfulness. Much like the legendary artist at her peak, you find a wondrous sense to Rosalía's voice that pulls you into its whirlwind. Even when she's breaking hearts apart, the listener nevertheless want to stay right there for the ride.
A Prime Example of Joy
That playful spirit comes forth brightly during a stunning piano-led song inspired by a saint. It bathes in a sorrowful whirlpool over more than four minutes. Suddenly, all the music drops silent, and we hear a gleeful giggle and a comment prior to a comically exaggerated orchestral crescendo crashes down with comedic force. The song immediately shifts to the wild single featuring galloping orchestration, a powerful choir, and a cameo role from none other than herself.
"The magic with Lux lies in the listener rarely quite know—or even want to predict—where you will go next."
Nearly each track ends at a completely different place from how it began. One moment explores the fleeting trappings of fame over a featherlight symphony before collapsing in digital cacophony. Another, a cut echoing the artist's previous rhythmic work starts off moody and sinister, with prowling vocals, before fluttering flamenco handclaps and an angelic choir arrive to soften the song's rough edges.
The Bridge Between Experiment & Pop
A key achievement of Lux involves navigating the gap between radical innovation and broad appeal. This is no surprise that it has achieved the artist's highest-charting release to break into the Top 5 of key charts: at its core a suite of utterly catchy pop songs. One track performed primarily in English builds around a refrain that feels to collect increasingly infectious hooks while it spins upward. That feat gets repeated by a different powerful track that grows and constricts, intertwining multiple melodies as an intricate tapestry.
- A waltz-like number seduces via its jaunty, Disney-adjacent drama and a chant-along hook.
- In its words, it aligns with cultural impact of contemporary heartbreak anthems, lambasting an ex- lover labeled an "emotional terrorist".
- Across the album, the singing carry a painted-on smile, akin to a fairy-tale character hiding a knife: "Gold medal in being a scoundrel / You've won the trophy of disappointment."
An Opulent Feast for the Ears
Lux is pop on a maximalist level, an ambitious reach for capital-A artistry in an era of impending artificial sameness. It rejects self-absorption for glorious elevation, crafting an over-the-top drama that masterfully controls its own inherent ridiculousness. This is an abundant source of buried treasure that takes patience to fully mine but never feels like a chore. While some big pop albums of the year seemed like a meager meal, this record is a lavish feast at which the guests at the table, some intoxicated on sacred wine, flutter from discussions about ancient saints, the profound feeling of soul-shattering grief, and common stories about useless partners. In essence, it's a modern-day theatrical production from music's truly endlessly creative practitioner.
