On the surface, Lux may look closer to a challenging university quiz rather than the latest pop project by a musician whose last hit featured an international pop icon. Split across four different movements and sung in thirteen tongues, this is a dizzying symphonic album that delves into feminine mystery, religious transcendence, and corporal transformation, often by way of the perspective of different female saints. The dissolution of a love affair—a topic handled with raw honesty elsewhere—soars upwards on this record, supported by the constant sound of a full orchestra and input from a Pulitzer-winning songwriter within a vast roll call of contributors. The pure daring alone makes the efforts of contemporary pop stars look rather modest.
Transcending Scholarly Pretense
The fact that Lux manages to avoid overly academic posturing feels nothing short of miraculous, with complete credit belonging to Rosalía. Although it's not her first project to alchemize the past with modern styles, the scale feel much higher on Lux, and the balancing act more pronounced. What really raises her fourth release, beyond its multilayered tunes, dense compositions, and inherent drama, is a core spirit of fun. Similar to the legendary artist at her peak, you find a wondrous quality to Rosalía's voice which sweeps you up in its tornado. When she's tearing hearts apart, the listener nevertheless want to stay right there for the ride.
A Prime Moment of Exuberance
This exuberant energy comes forth brightly during a stunning piano-led ballad about a saint. It luxuriates in a sorrowful whirlpool for more than four minutes. Then, everything falls away, and there's a spontaneous giggle and a comment before a hilariously over-the-top string crescendo crashes down with comedic impact. The track then segues to the wild track driven by galloping orchestration, an imposing choral group, and a surprise appearance from the artist herself.
"The magic with Lux lies in you never exactly know—or even wish to predict—where you will go to next."
Almost every track finishes in a totally distinct point than where it began. A track examines the transient nature of celebrity with a delicate symphony before collapsing in electronic chaos. Another, a song that recalls the artist's earlier trap-infused style begins out moody and brooding, featuring menacing vocals, until fluttering flamenco rhythms and an angelic chorus enter to soften its jagged corners.
The Balance Of Experiment and Pop
A key balancing act of Lux involves straddling the gap of radical innovation and broad accessibility. This is little coincidence that the album has become her first release to crack the upper reaches of key charts: its heart contains a suite of truly catchy pop songs. A song sung entirely in English builds on a refrain that seems to gather increasingly nagging hooks as it spins upward. That feat is echoed on another powerful ballad that expands and constricts, intertwining layered melodies as a complex weave.
- A dance-infused number seduces via its jaunty, Disney-adjacent flair and a chant-along chorus.
- Lyrically, it shares with pop culture impact of other breakup anthems, eviscerating an ex- partner labeled an "emotional terrorist".
- Across the album, the vocals have a painted-on smile, like a fairy-tale figure hiding a blade: "Top prize in acting like a scoundrel / You've won the trophy of letdown."
An Opulent Feast for the Ears
This album represents pop on a maximalist scale, a hungry grasp for high artistry in an era of impending AI-generated blankness. It eschews self-absorption for glorious elevation, crafting an over-the-top spectacle that skillfully controls its built-in ridiculousness. This is an abundant source of hidden gems that takes time to completely explore but never seem like hard work. Where some big pop albums of the year felt like feasting on scraps, Lux is a sumptuous banquet at which the guests at it, some tipsy on sacred drink, flutter from conversations about historical figures, the profound feeling of heartbreaking grief, and common stories about useless men. In essence, it's a modern-day musical from pop's most endlessly creative visionary.
