At first glance, this work could seem more like a difficult scholarly examination than a new popular music album by a musician whose previous single featured an international pop icon. Divided into 4 different sections and performed in 13 tongues, it is a breathtaking symphonic work that delves into feminine mystique, religious transcendence, and physical change, often through the prism of different female saints. The end of a love affair—a topic handled with raw honesty elsewhere—soars skyward on this record, buoyed by the constant sound of a major orchestra and contributions from a Pulitzer-winning composer within an extensive roll call of collaborators. The pure audacity by itself renders the efforts of contemporary pop stars appear quite modest.
Transcending Academic Pretense
That Lux succeeds in escape dry intellectual posturing is nearly a miracle, and full credit going to Rosalía. While this is not the first time album to alchemize historical sounds with the present, its ambitions are much greater on Lux, and the balancing act far more pronounced. The element that really elevates this fourth release, beyond its multilayered melodies, dense compositions, and inherent theatricality, is an essential spirit of fun. Similar to the iconic artist at her height, there is a wondrous sense to the vocalist's singing which sweeps you up in its tornado. Even when she is breaking hearts apart, you still desire to stay alongside her through the ride.
A Signature Example of Joy
This exuberant energy shines clearly during the stirring Italian song inspired by Saint Clare. It luxuriates in a sorrowful whirlpool over several moments. Then, all the music drops silent, and we hear a gleeful laugh and a comment prior to a hilariously exaggerated string surge crashes down like comedic force. The song immediately shifts to the frenetic track featuring racing strings, an imposing choir, and a surprise role from the artist herself.
"The magic of Lux is that you never exactly know—nor wish to predict—what it will go next."
Almost each track ends in a completely different point than how it started. One moment explores the transient trappings of celebrity over a featherlight symphony before collapsing into digital cacophony. Elsewhere, a song echoing her previous trap-infused style starts off dark and brooding, featuring prowling vocals, before sudden flamenco rhythms and an angelic choir enter to soften its jagged corners.
The Balance Between Art & Pop
Another crucial balancing act of the album is navigating the line of radical experimentation and mainstream appeal. It is little coincidence that the album has achieved her highest-charting release to break into the Top 5 of key markets: at its core a collection of utterly catchy hits. One track performed entirely in the English language swells around a refrain that seems to collect increasingly nagging hooks as it spins skyward. This feat gets echoed on another powerful track that grows and constricts, intertwining layered tunes like an intricate weave.
- A waltz-like song charms via its jaunty, Disney-adjacent drama and a chant-along chorus.
- Lyrically, it aligns the cultural impact of contemporary heartbreak songs, lambasting a former partner labeled an "emotional terrorist".
- Throughout the album, the vocals carry a painted-on smile, like a fairy-tale figure hiding a knife: "Gold medal in acting like a motherfucker / You've the podium of disappointment."
A Maximalist Feast for the Ears
Lux represents pop on a maximalist scale, a hungry reach for capital-A Art in an era of looming AI-generated blankness. It eschews solipsism in favor of glorious elevation, creating an over-the-top spectacle that skillfully controls its own built-in ridiculousness. This is an abundant well of buried treasure that takes time to fully mine but never seem like hard work. While some major releases of the year felt like a meager scraps, Lux is a lavish feast where the guests at the table, some intoxicated on sacred drink, flit from discussions about historical figures, the profound sensation of soul-shattering sadness, and common gossip about useless partners. It is a modern-day musical from pop's most restlessly creative visionary.
