Initially, this album may look more like an arduous university challenge than a new popular music album by a musician whose previous hit was a collaboration with a global K-pop star. Divided into four separate movements and sung in thirteen tongues, we have a head-spinning symphonic album exploring feminine mystery, religious ascent, and corporal change, frequently via the perspective of various saintly figures. The dissolution of a love affair—a theme treated with raw honesty elsewhere—soars heavenward on this record, buoyed by the lush presence of a major symphony orchestra and work from a Pulitzer-winning songwriter within a long list of collaborators. Its sheer daring alone renders the work of other artists seem quite small.
Rising Above Academic Exercise
That Lux manages to escape dry intellectual posturing feels almost miraculous, with complete praise going to Rosalía. Although this is not the first time album to blend historical sounds and the present, its ambitions are much higher on Lux, with the balancing act far more precarious. The element that truly raises her fourth album, beyond its multilayered melodies, dense compositions, and inherent theatricality, proves to be a core spirit of joy. Much like the legendary Björk at her peak, there is a captivating sense to Rosalía's voice that pulls you up in its tornado. When she is breaking your heart apart, you still desire to be alongside her for the journey.
A Signature Example of Exuberance
That exuberant energy shines clearly on a stunning Italian song inspired by a saint. It bathes in a string-drenched whirlpool for several minutes. Then, all the music drops silent, and there's a gleeful giggle followed by a comment before a hilariously exaggerated string crescendo crashes in with comedic force. The track immediately segues to the frenetic single featuring racing orchestration, an imposing choral group, and a cameo role from the artist herself.
"The charm of this album lies in you rarely exactly know—or even wish to know—what it will go to next."
Nearly every track concludes at a completely distinct place from how it began. One moment examines the transient trappings of celebrity over a featherlight symphony only to collapsing into electronic chaos. Another, a song that recalls her earlier trap-infused work starts out moody and sinister, featuring prowling vocals, before fluttering flamenco rhythms and a heavenly choir arrive to smooth the song's rough corners.
The Bridge Of Experiment and Accessibility
A key balancing act on Lux involves straddling the line between radical innovation and broad appeal. This is little surprise that the album has achieved the artist's highest-charting work to break into the upper reaches of major charts: its heart contains a suite of truly undeniable pop songs. A song performed primarily in the English language builds around a refrain that seems to gather increasingly nagging hooks while it spins skyward. This trick is repeated by a different powerful track that expands and contracts, weaving layered melodies as an intricate tapestry.
- A dance-infused song seduces with its playful, theatrical flair and a chant-along hook.
- In its words, it aligns with cultural impact of contemporary heartbreak anthems, lambasting a former lover described as an "emotional bully".
- Across these tracks, the singing carry a painted-on edge, akin to a storybook figure hiding a blade: "Top prize in being a motherfucker / You have the podium of disappointment."
An Opulent Banquet for the Ears
Lux is popular music on a grand scale, an ambitious grasp for high Art in an era of impending artificial sameness. It rejects self-absorption for glorious transcendence, crafting an over-the-top spectacle that masterfully controls its inherent excess. This is a deep well of hidden treasure that requires time to completely mine but doesn't seem like hard work. Where other big pop albums of the year felt like feasting on scraps, this record offers a sumptuous feast where the guests at it, some tipsy on holy wine, flutter between discussions about historical figures, the galvanizing feeling of heartbreaking sadness, and common stories about useless partners. In essence, it's a modern-day musical from pop's most endlessly creative visionary.