At first glance, this album could seem closer to a difficult academic examination rather than a new popular music record by an artist whose previous hit featured a global K-pop icon. Broken across 4 different parts and voiced in thirteen languages, it is a dizzying classical-tinged album investigating feminine mystique, religious ascent, and bodily transformation, frequently via the prism of different female saints. The dissolution of a relationship—a topic treated with grounded honesty elsewhere—soars heavenward on this record, carried by the constant sound of a full orchestra and input from a Pulitzer-winning composer among a long roll call of collaborators. Its sheer daring by itself renders the work of contemporary artists appear quite modest.
Rising Above Scholarly Pretense
That Lux manages to escape overly academic posturing feels almost miraculous, with full praise belonging to the artist. Although this is not her first album to fuse historical sounds with the present, its scale are much greater on Lux, with the balancing act far more dramatic. What truly elevates this fourth release, outside of its multilayered tunes, rich compositions, and engrained theatricality, is a core spirit of fun. Much like the iconic Björk at her peak, you find a wondrous sense to Rosalía's singing that pulls the listener up in its whirlwind. When she is breaking your heart in two, you still desire to stay right there through the ride.
A Prime Moment of Joy
This exuberant spirit comes forth clearly on the stunning piano-led song about a saint. It bathes in a sorrowful melancholy for several minutes. Suddenly, all the music drops away, to reveal there's a gleeful laugh and a comment before a comically over-the-top orchestral surge crashes down like cartoonish force. The track then segues to the frenetic track driven by racing strings, an imposing choir, and a surprise appearance from none other than Björk.
"The charm of this album is that the listener rarely quite know—nor wish to predict—where it is going next."
Nearly every song finishes in a totally distinct point from where it began. A track explores the fleeting trappings of celebrity over a featherlight orchestration before disintegrating into digital cacophony. Another, a cut that recalls her previous rhythmic style starts off moody and brooding, with menacing vocals, until sudden flamenco handclaps and a heavenly chorus enter to smooth its jagged edges.
The Balance Of Art & Pop
A key achievement on Lux is straddling the gap between radical innovation and broad accessibility. This is no coincidence that it has achieved the artist's highest-charting release to crack the upper reaches of key charts: its heart contains a collection of utterly undeniable hits. A song performed primarily in the English language builds around a refrain that seems to gather increasingly nagging melodies while it spins skyward. This trick is repeated on another expansive ballad that expands and constricts, weaving multiple melodies like a complex tapestry.
- A waltz-like song seduces via its jaunty, theatrical flair and an anthemic chorus.
- Lyrically, it shares with cultural honesty of other heartbreak songs, eviscerating a former lover labeled an "emotional terrorist".
- Across the album, the vocals carry a painted-on edge, akin to a storybook character concealing a knife: "Top prize in acting like a scoundrel / You have won the trophy of disappointment."
An Opulent Feast for the Ears
Lux represents popular music on a maximalist scale, an ambitious grasp for high artistry amid of looming AI-generated blankness. It rejects self-absorption for sublime transcendence, crafting an over-the-top drama that masterfully manages its inherent ridiculousness. It is a deep well of hidden gems that requires patience to fully explore but never seem like a chore. Where some major pop albums of the year seemed like a meager scraps, this record is a lavish banquet where the guests at it, some intoxicated on sacred wine, flit from conversations about historical saints, the galvanizing feeling of soul-shattering grief, and common stories about useless partners. It is a modern-day theatrical production from music's truly restlessly creative visionary.
