Initially, this work might appear more like a difficult university examination than a new pop record from an artist whose previous hit featured an international pop star. Divided into four different parts and sung in thirteen languages, we have a head-spinning classical-tinged work that delves into feminine mystique, religious ascent, and bodily change, frequently through the perspective of different female saints. The dissolution of a romance—a topic handled with raw openness elsewhere—is launched skyward on this record, carried by the lush presence of a full symphony orchestra and work from an award-winning songwriter among an extensive list of contributors. The pure daring alone renders the efforts of contemporary artists look rather modest.
Rising Above Academic Exercise
That this album manages to escape overly academic chin-stroking is nearly a miracle, with sole credit belonging to Rosalía. Although this is not the first time project to fuse the past with modern styles, its ambitions are far greater here, with the balancing act more precarious. The element that truly elevates this fourth album, outside of its complex tunes, dense compositions, and engrained theatricality, proves to be an essential spirit of playfulness. Much like the legendary Björk during her peak, you find a captivating sense to Rosalía's voice that pulls you into its tornado. When she is breaking hearts apart, you still want to be right there for the ride.
A Signature Moment of Exuberance
That exuberant spirit comes forth brightly during a stirring piano-led song inspired by Saint Clare. It luxuriates in a string-drenched whirlpool over more than four moments. Then, all the music drops silent, to reveal we hear a spontaneous giggle and a comment before a hilariously exaggerated orchestral crescendo thuds in with cartoonish force. The song then segues to the frenetic track driven by racing strings, a powerful choir, and a surprise role from none other than herself.
"The magic with Lux is that the listener never quite understand—or even want to predict—where it will go next."
Nearly each track ends in a totally different place from how it began. A track explores the fleeting nature of fame with a delicate orchestration only to disintegrating in electronic chaos. Elsewhere, a cut echoing her previous rhythmic style begins out moody and brooding, with prowling beats, before fluttering traditional handclaps and an angelic chorus enter to soften its rough edges.
The Balance Of Experiment and Accessibility
A key achievement on Lux involves straddling the line between bold experimentation and mainstream accessibility. This is no coincidence that it has achieved the artist's highest-charting release to break into the upper reaches of major markets: at its core a suite of utterly catchy pop songs. One track performed entirely in the English language builds around a refrain that seems to gather more and more infectious hooks as it spins upward. This trick gets echoed on a different expansive track that expands and constricts, intertwining multiple tunes like an intricate tapestry.
- A waltz-like song charms with its jaunty, Disney-adjacent drama and an anthemic hook.
- In its words, it shares with pop culture honesty of other heartbreak anthems, lambasting an ex- partner described as an "psychological bully".
- Throughout these tracks, the vocals carry a sharp edge, like a storybook character hiding a blade: "Gold medal in being a scoundrel / You have the podium of disappointment."
An Opulent Feast for the Ears
Lux is pop on a grand level, a hungry reach for high artistry in an era of looming artificial blankness. It eschews solipsism in favor of glorious transcendence, creating a dramatic drama that skillfully manages its own inherent ridiculousness. This is an abundant source of buried gems that takes patience to completely mine but doesn't feels like a chore. While other major releases of the year felt like a meager scraps, Lux is a lavish feast at which the guests at it, some intoxicated on sacred wine, flit between discussions about ancient figures, the galvanizing feeling of heartbreaking sadness, and shared stories about useless partners. It is a contemporary musical from pop's truly restlessly creative practitioner.
