At first glance, this work might appear more like a difficult university examination rather than a new popular music project from an artist whose last hit featured an international pop icon. Split across four distinct sections and performed in 13 languages, this is a breathtaking classical-tinged work that delves into feminine mystique, spiritual ascent, and corporal transformation, frequently through the perspective of different female saints. The dissolution of a relationship—a theme handled with raw openness elsewhere—is launched heavenward here, buoyed by the lush sound of a major symphony orchestra and work from an award-winning songwriter among a vast list of collaborators. The pure audacity alone renders the work of contemporary artists look rather laughable.
Rising Above Scholarly Pretense
That Lux succeeds in escape dry intellectual chin-stroking is nearly a miracle, and sole credit belonging to Rosalía. Although it's not the first time project to alchemize historical sounds and the present, its ambitions feel much higher here, with the balancing act more precarious. What truly raises her fourth release, beyond its multilayered melodies, rich arrangements, and engrained drama, proves to be an essential sense of fun. Similar to the iconic Björk during her peak, there is a captivating quality to Rosalía's voice that pulls you up in its tornado. When she's breaking your heart in two, the listener nevertheless desire to be right there through the ride.
A Prime Example of Exuberance
That playful energy comes forth clearly on a stunning piano-led ballad inspired by Saint Clare. It luxuriates in a sorrowful melancholy for several minutes. Then, all the music falls away, and there's a spontaneous giggle and a comment before a comically exaggerated string crescendo crashes down like cartoonish impact. The song immediately segues to the frenetic track featuring galloping strings, a powerful choir, and a cameo appearance from none other than Björk.
"The magic of Lux is that you never exactly know—nor want to know—what you will go next."
Nearly each track concludes at a totally distinct place than where it began. A track explores the fleeting trappings of fame over a featherlight symphony before collapsing into electronic chaos. Elsewhere, a cut echoing her earlier rhythmic style starts off dark and sinister, with prowling beats, until sudden flamenco handclaps and an angelic choir arrive to smooth its jagged edges.
The Bridge Between Art and Pop
Another crucial achievement of Lux is straddling the gap between bold experimentation and broad accessibility. It is no coincidence that it has become her first release to crack the Top 5 of key charts: its heart contains a collection of truly catchy hits. One track sung entirely in English builds on a refrain that feels to gather more and more infectious melodies as it spins skyward. This feat gets echoed by another expansive track that grows and constricts, weaving layered melodies like an intricate weave.
- A waltz-like song charms via its jaunty, theatrical flair and a chant-along hook.
- Lyrically, it shares with cultural honesty of other breakup anthems, eviscerating a former lover labeled an "psychological terrorist".
- Throughout the album, the vocals have a sharp edge, like a storybook character hiding a blade: "Top prize in acting like a motherfucker / You've won the trophy of letdown."
A Maximalist Feast for the Soul
Lux is pop on a grand level, a hungry reach for capital-A artistry in an era of looming artificial blankness. It rejects solipsism for glorious elevation, creating an over-the-top spectacle that masterfully manages its inherent ridiculousness. This is an abundant well of buried treasure that requires patience to completely mine but doesn't seem like a chore. While some major pop albums of the year seemed like a meager scraps, Lux is a sumptuous feast at which the guests at the table, perhaps tipsy on sacred wine, flutter from discussions about ancient figures, the profound feeling of soul-shattering grief, and common stories about useless partners. It is a modern-day musical from pop's most endlessly inventive visionary.
