Initially, this work might appear closer to an arduous academic quiz than a new pop project from a musician whose last single featured an international pop icon. Split into four separate parts and voiced in 13 tongues, it is a breathtaking symphonic album exploring female mystery, spiritual ascent, and corporal transformation, often through the perspective of different saintly figures. The dissolution of a love affair—a theme treated with raw honesty elsewhere—soars skyward on this record, carried by the constant presence of a major orchestra and contributions from a Pulitzer-winning songwriter among a vast roll call of contributors. The pure daring alone renders the work of contemporary pop stars look quite modest.
Transcending Scholarly Exercise
The fact that Lux manages to escape overly intellectual chin-stroking feels nothing short of miraculous, and full credit belonging to Rosalía. While this is not her first project to alchemize the past and modern styles, its scale are much higher here, and the balancing act far more precarious. The element that really raises this fourth release, outside of its complex tunes, rich arrangements, and inherent theatricality, proves to be an essential spirit of joy. Similar to the legendary artist during her peak, there is a captivating sense to the vocalist's singing that pulls the listener into its tornado. Even when she is breaking your heart apart, you still desire to stay alongside her for the ride.
A Prime Example of Exuberance
This exuberant spirit shines brightly during the stunning Italian ballad inspired by a saint. It bathes in a string-drenched melancholy for several moments. Then, everything falls silent, to reveal there's a spontaneous laugh followed by a comment prior to a hilariously exaggerated string surge thuds in with comedic impact. The track immediately segues into the wild track featuring racing strings, a powerful choir, and a surprise appearance from the artist Björk.
"The magic of this album lies in the listener rarely exactly know—nor want to predict—what you will go to next."
Nearly each track ends in a completely different place than where it started. A track examines the fleeting trappings of celebrity with a featherlight symphony before collapsing into digital cacophony. Another, a song echoing her earlier trap-infused style begins out moody and brooding, featuring prowling vocals, until sudden flamenco handclaps and an angelic choir arrive to smooth the song's jagged edges.
The Bridge Between Experiment & Pop
Another crucial balancing act of Lux is straddling the gap of radical innovation and broad accessibility. It is no coincidence that the album has become her highest-charting work to break into the upper reaches of key markets: at its core a collection of utterly undeniable hits. One track performed entirely in English swells on a chorus that seems to collect more and more infectious hooks while it spins upward. This feat gets echoed on another expansive track that grows and contracts, weaving multiple melodies like a complex tapestry.
- A dance-infused song seduces with its jaunty, theatrical drama and an anthemic chorus.
- In its words, it shares the cultural honesty of contemporary heartbreak anthems, lambasting a former lover labeled an "psychological bully".
- Throughout the album, the vocals carry a sharp edge, like a fairy-tale character concealing a blade: "Gold medal in being a motherfucker / You have the podium of disappointment."
An Opulent Feast for the Ears
This album is popular music on a maximalist level, an ambitious reach for high artistry in an era of impending AI-generated blankness. It eschews self-absorption for sublime elevation, creating an over-the-top spectacle that masterfully controls its built-in ridiculousness. It is an abundant source of buried gems that takes time to fully explore but doesn't feels like hard work. While some big pop albums of the year felt like a meager meal, Lux is a lavish banquet where the guests around the table, some intoxicated on holy wine, flutter between conversations about ancient figures, the galvanizing feeling of heartbreaking grief, and shared stories about hopeless men. In essence, it's a modern-day musical from pop's most restlessly creative practitioner.
