On the surface, this work might appear closer to a challenging scholarly examination than a new popular music album from a musician who just had a last hit was a collaboration with a global K-pop star. Divided into four distinct sections and performed in thirteen tongues, this is a breathtaking classical-tinged opus investigating female mystique, spiritual ascent, and corporal change, frequently by way of the prism of different saintly figures. The end of a romance—a theme handled with grounded honesty elsewhere—is launched heavenward on this record, buoyed by the lush presence of a full orchestra and contributions from a Pulitzer-winning songwriter within a vast list of collaborators. The pure ambition alone renders the efforts of contemporary pop stars appear quite laughable.
Rising Above Scholarly Exercise
That Lux manages to avoid overly academic posturing feels nothing short of miraculous, with full praise going to Rosalía. Although this is not her first album to blend the past with the present, its ambitions are far higher here, with the tightrope walk far more dramatic. The element that really elevates this fourth release, beyond its multilayered tunes, dense arrangements, and inherent theatricality, proves to be a core sense of fun. Much like the legendary artist at her height, you find a captivating quality to Rosalía's voice that pulls the listener up in its tornado. When she is breaking your heart apart, you nevertheless desire to be right there through the journey.
A Signature Moment of Joy
That playful spirit comes forth brightly on the stunning piano-led song inspired by a saint. It luxuriates in a sorrowful whirlpool for several minutes. Then, everything falls away, and there's a gleeful laugh followed by a comment prior to a hilariously exaggerated string crescendo thuds in like comedic force. The track then shifts to the wild track driven by racing strings, an imposing choir, and a surprise role from none other than herself.
"The charm with Lux is that you never quite know—nor wish to know—what it will go to next."
Nearly each song concludes in a completely different place than where it started. A track examines the fleeting trappings of celebrity with a delicate symphony only to collapsing in digital cacophony. Another, a cut that recalls the artist's previous rhythmic work starts out moody and sinister, featuring prowling vocals, before sudden traditional rhythms and a heavenly choir enter to smooth its jagged corners.
The Bridge Between Art and Pop
A key achievement on the album is navigating the line between radical experimentation and mainstream accessibility. This is little surprise that the album has achieved her highest-charting work to break into the Top 5 of key charts: its heart contains a collection of utterly catchy pop songs. A song performed primarily in English builds around a chorus that seems to collect more and more infectious hooks as it spins skyward. That trick gets repeated on a different expansive track that expands and contracts, weaving multiple tunes as a complex tapestry.
- A waltz-like number seduces with its playful, Disney-adjacent drama and a chant-along hook.
- Lyrically, it shares the pop culture impact of other heartbreak anthems, eviscerating a former lover described as an "emotional terrorist".
- Throughout the album, the vocals have a painted-on smile, akin to a fairy-tale character concealing a knife: "Gold medal in acting like a scoundrel / You have won the trophy of letdown."
A Maximalist Feast for the Soul
Lux represents popular music on a maximalist scale, an ambitious reach for capital-A artistry amid of looming AI-generated sameness. It rejects self-absorption in favor of glorious elevation, crafting a dramatic spectacle that skillfully controls its built-in ridiculousness. This is a deep source of buried gems that takes patience to fully explore but never seem like hard work. While other major releases of the year felt like a meager scraps, Lux offers a sumptuous feast where the characters around the table, perhaps intoxicated on sacred wine, flit from discussions about historical figures, the profound sensation of soul-shattering grief, and common stories about hopeless partners. In essence, it's a contemporary musical from music's truly endlessly inventive practitioner.
