On the surface, Lux may look more like a challenging scholarly examination than the latest pop project by an artist whose last hit featured a global pop star. Broken into four separate movements and voiced in 13 tongues, this is a dizzying symphonic work that delves into female mystery, religious ascent, and physical transformation, often by way of the lens of different women saints. The dissolution of a love affair—a topic treated with grounded honesty elsewhere—is shot heavenward on this record, supported by the constant sound of a major symphony orchestra and input from a Pulitzer-winning composer within an extensive roll call of contributors. The pure ambition by itself makes the work of contemporary artists seem rather laughable.
Transcending Scholarly Exercise
The fact that this album manages to avoid overly academic posturing feels nearly a miracle, with complete credit belonging to the artist. While this is not the first time album to fuse historical sounds with modern styles, its ambitions are much greater here, and the balancing act more dramatic. What really raises this fourth album, outside of its multilayered tunes, rich compositions, and inherent theatricality, proves to be an essential sense of playfulness. Much like the legendary artist at her peak, there is a captivating quality to Rosalía's voice which sweeps you into its whirlwind. When she is breaking your heart in two, the listener nevertheless want to be alongside her through the journey.
A Prime Moment of Joy
This exuberant energy shines clearly on the stunning piano-led ballad inspired by a saint. It luxuriates in a sorrowful melancholy over several minutes. Suddenly, all the music falls away, to reveal there's a spontaneous giggle followed by a declaration before a comically exaggerated orchestral surge crashes down with cartoonish impact. The track then segues to the wild track featuring racing strings, a powerful choir, and a cameo appearance from none other than herself.
"The magic of Lux lies in you never exactly know—or even want to know—where it is going next."
Nearly each song ends in a completely different point from where it began. One moment explores the fleeting nature of celebrity with a delicate orchestration before collapsing into electronic cacophony. Elsewhere, a cut that recalls her previous rhythmic work begins out dark and sinister, featuring menacing beats, before sudden traditional handclaps and a heavenly chorus enter to smooth the song's rough edges.
The Bridge Between Experiment and Pop
Another crucial achievement of the album is straddling the line between radical innovation and mainstream accessibility. It is no coincidence that the album has become her highest-charting work to crack the upper reaches of major markets: at its core a collection of truly catchy pop songs. One track performed primarily in the English language swells on a chorus that feels to gather more and more nagging melodies as it spirals upward. That feat gets repeated on a different powerful track that expands and constricts, intertwining layered tunes like an intricate tapestry.
- A waltz-like song charms via its jaunty, Disney-adjacent flair and an anthemic hook.
- In its words, it shares the cultural honesty of contemporary heartbreak anthems, lambasting an ex- partner described as an "emotional bully".
- Throughout these tracks, the vocals carry a sharp smile, akin to a storybook figure hiding a blade: "Gold medal in being a scoundrel / You've the podium of disappointment."
An Opulent Feast for the Ears
Lux represents popular music on a maximalist scale, an ambitious grasp for capital-A Art in an era of impending AI-generated blankness. It eschews self-absorption for sublime elevation, crafting a dramatic drama that skillfully controls its own inherent ridiculousness. This is an abundant well of hidden gems that takes time to fully mine but doesn't feels like hard work. Where other major pop albums of the year felt like a meager scraps, Lux offers a lavish feast where the characters at the table, some tipsy on holy drink, flit from discussions about historical saints, the profound feeling of soul-shattering grief, and common stories about hopeless partners. In essence, it's a modern-day theatrical production from pop's most restlessly inventive visionary.
