At first glance, this album could seem closer to a challenging academic quiz rather than a new pop project by an artist whose previous hit featured an international pop star. Split across 4 different parts and performed in 13 tongues, it is a breathtaking symphonic work investigating feminine mystery, religious transcendence, and bodily change, often by way of the perspective of different women saints. The end of a love affair—a topic treated with grounded honesty elsewhere—soars upwards here, supported by the lush sound of a major symphony orchestra and work from an award-winning songwriter among an extensive list of collaborators. Its sheer ambition by itself makes the efforts of contemporary artists seem rather laughable.
Transcending Academic Pretense
That this album succeeds in transcend dry intellectual posturing feels nearly miraculous, and sole credit belonging to the artist. Although it's not the first time project to alchemize the past and modern styles, the scale feel much higher on Lux, and the tightrope walk more precarious. What truly elevates this fourth album, beyond its multilayered tunes, dense compositions, and inherent theatricality, is an essential spirit of fun. Much like the iconic Björk at her peak, you find a wondrous sense to Rosalía's voice that pulls the listener up in its whirlwind. Even when she is breaking hearts apart, the listener still want to stay right there through the journey.
A Signature Example of Exuberance
That playful energy comes forth clearly on a stirring piano-led song about a saint. It bathes in a string-drenched melancholy for more than four minutes. Then, everything drops away, to reveal we hear a spontaneous giggle followed by a comment before a hilariously exaggerated string crescendo thuds in with comedic impact. The track then segues into the frenetic track featuring racing strings, a powerful choir, and a surprise role from none other than Björk.
"The charm with this album is that you never exactly know—nor want to know—where you will go next."
Almost each track finishes in a completely distinct place than where it started. One moment explores the fleeting trappings of celebrity with a featherlight orchestration before collapsing in electronic cacophony. Another, a song echoing her previous rhythmic style begins off moody and brooding, featuring menacing vocals, until fluttering traditional rhythms and a heavenly choir enter to smooth the song's jagged edges.
The Bridge Between Experiment & Pop
Another crucial balancing act of the album involves straddling the line of radical innovation and broad accessibility. It is little surprise that it has become her highest-charting work to crack the upper reaches of major charts: at its core a collection of utterly catchy pop songs. A song sung entirely in English builds around a chorus that seems to collect more and more nagging hooks while it spins upward. That trick gets echoed by a different powerful track that expands and constricts, weaving multiple melodies like an intricate weave.
- A dance-infused number charms with its playful, theatrical flair and a chant-along chorus.
- In its words, it aligns the cultural honesty of contemporary heartbreak anthems, lambasting an ex- lover labeled an "psychological terrorist".
- Across these tracks, the vocals carry a sharp smile, like a fairy-tale character hiding a blade: "Top prize in being a motherfucker / You've the podium of letdown."
A Maximalist Feast for the Soul
Lux represents popular music on a maximalist scale, an ambitious reach for capital-A Art in an era of impending AI-generated blankness. It eschews solipsism in favor of glorious elevation, creating an over-the-top drama that masterfully controls its own inherent ridiculousness. It is a deep well of hidden treasure that requires patience to fully explore but doesn't feels like a chore. While other big releases of the year felt like feasting on scraps, Lux is a sumptuous feast where the guests around the table, some tipsy on holy wine, flutter between discussions about ancient saints, the galvanizing feeling of soul-shattering grief, and shared stories about useless men. In essence, it's a contemporary theatrical production from music's most endlessly creative visionary.
