At first glance, this work might appear closer to a challenging scholarly challenge than the latest popular music project by an artist who just had a last single was a collaboration with an international K-pop star. Broken across 4 distinct sections and voiced in thirteen languages, this is a breathtaking symphonic work exploring feminine mystique, religious transcendence, and corporal transformation, frequently by way of the lens of different female saints. The end of a romance—a topic treated with grounded honesty elsewhere—is launched skyward here, buoyed by the constant sound of a major orchestra and input from a Pulitzer-winning songwriter among an extensive roll call of collaborators. The pure daring by itself renders the work of other artists seem rather small.
Transcending Scholarly Exercise
That Lux succeeds in transcend overly intellectual posturing feels nothing short of a miracle, with sole praise going to Rosalía. Although this is not her first project to blend historical sounds and the present, its ambitions are far higher on Lux, with the tightrope walk far more precarious. What truly elevates this fourth release, beyond its multilayered tunes, rich compositions, and engrained theatricality, is an essential spirit of fun. Similar to the legendary Björk during her height, there is a captivating sense to the vocalist's voice that pulls you up in its tornado. Even when she's tearing your heart apart, you still desire to stay right there for the ride.
A Prime Example of Joy
This playful spirit shines brightly during a stirring piano-led ballad about a saint. It bathes in a sorrowful whirlpool for more than four minutes. Then, all the music falls silent, to reveal there's a spontaneous laugh followed by a declaration before a comically over-the-top string surge crashes in with cartoonish impact. The track immediately shifts into the wild single featuring racing orchestration, an imposing choir, and a cameo appearance from the artist Björk.
"The magic of Lux is that you rarely quite know—or even wish to know—what it is going next."
Nearly each song ends in a totally distinct place than where it started. A track examines the transient nature of fame over a delicate orchestration before collapsing in digital chaos. Another, a cut that recalls her previous trap-infused work starts out moody and sinister, featuring prowling vocals, until fluttering traditional handclaps and a heavenly chorus enter to smooth the song's jagged corners.
The Bridge Of Art & Pop
Another crucial balancing act on the album is straddling the gap between bold experimentation and broad appeal. It is no surprise that it has become the artist's first work to crack the Top 5 of key charts: its heart contains a collection of utterly catchy hits. One track performed primarily in English builds around a refrain that seems to gather increasingly infectious hooks while it spins skyward. This trick is repeated on a different powerful track that grows and constricts, weaving layered melodies as a complex weave.
- A dance-infused song seduces with its jaunty, Disney-adjacent flair and an anthemic chorus.
- In its words, it shares with pop culture impact of contemporary heartbreak songs, eviscerating a former partner described as an "psychological bully".
- Throughout these tracks, the vocals carry a painted-on smile, like a storybook figure concealing a knife: "Gold medal in acting like a scoundrel / You have won the trophy of disappointment."
A Maximalist Banquet for the Ears
Lux represents pop on a grand scale, a hungry reach for high artistry in an era of impending artificial blankness. It eschews self-absorption for sublime transcendence, creating a dramatic spectacle that skillfully manages its inherent ridiculousness. It is an abundant well of buried gems that takes time to completely explore but doesn't seem like a chore. While some major pop albums of the year seemed like feasting on scraps, Lux offers a lavish banquet at which the guests at it, some tipsy on holy drink, flit between discussions about ancient saints, the profound feeling of soul-shattering grief, and common stories about hopeless partners. It is a modern-day theatrical production from pop's truly endlessly creative visionary.
