Initially, this album could seem closer to an arduous academic challenge than a new pop album from an artist who just had a previous single featured a global K-pop icon. Divided into four distinct movements and performed in thirteen tongues, it is a dizzying symphonic work exploring feminine mystery, spiritual ascent, and physical change, frequently through the prism of various saintly figures. The dissolution of a relationship—a theme treated with raw openness elsewhere—is shot heavenward here, supported by the constant sound of a full symphony orchestra and contributions from a Pulitzer-winning composer among a vast roll call of collaborators. The pure audacity by itself renders the efforts of contemporary artists seem rather laughable.
Rising Above Academic Exercise
That this album manages to avoid overly intellectual posturing is nothing short of miraculous, and complete praise belonging to Rosalía. Although it's not the first time album to blend the past with modern styles, its ambitions are far higher on Lux, and the balancing act more dramatic. The element that truly elevates this fourth release, outside of its complex melodies, dense arrangements, and engrained theatricality, is an essential spirit of fun. Similar to the legendary artist at her peak, you find a wondrous quality to Rosalía's voice which sweeps the listener up in its tornado. Even when she's breaking your heart in two, the listener still desire to be alongside her through the ride.
A Signature Moment of Joy
That exuberant spirit comes forth clearly on the stunning piano-led ballad about a saint. It luxuriates in a sorrowful whirlpool for several moments. Suddenly, all the music drops away, and we hear a gleeful giggle and a comment prior to a comically exaggerated string surge crashes in with cartoonish force. The song immediately shifts to the frenetic track driven by racing strings, an imposing choir, and a surprise appearance from none other than herself.
"The charm with this album is that the listener never quite know—nor want to predict—where you will go next."
Nearly each track concludes at a totally different point than how it began. One moment explores the transient trappings of celebrity with a delicate orchestration only to disintegrating in electronic cacophony. Elsewhere, a song that recalls the artist's previous rhythmic work begins off moody and brooding, with prowling vocals, until sudden traditional rhythms and a heavenly chorus arrive to soften the song's rough edges.
The Bridge Of Art and Pop
Another crucial achievement on Lux is navigating the line between radical experimentation and broad appeal. This is little coincidence that the album has achieved her highest-charting work to crack the Top 5 of key charts: its heart contains a suite of utterly undeniable pop songs. A song sung entirely in English swells around a chorus that seems to collect increasingly infectious melodies while it spirals skyward. That feat gets repeated on a different expansive ballad that expands and contracts, intertwining layered melodies as an intricate weave.
- A waltz-like song charms via its jaunty, theatrical drama and a chant-along chorus.
- In its words, it aligns with cultural honesty of other breakup anthems, eviscerating a former partner labeled an "psychological bully".
- Across these tracks, the vocals carry a painted-on edge, akin to a storybook character concealing a blade: "Top prize in acting like a motherfucker / You have won the trophy of disappointment."
An Opulent Feast for the Soul
Lux is pop on a grand scale, a hungry reach for capital-A artistry amid of looming artificial sameness. It rejects solipsism for glorious transcendence, crafting an over-the-top drama that masterfully manages its own built-in excess. It is a deep well of buried gems that takes time to fully explore but doesn't feels like a chore. Where other big pop albums of the year felt like feasting on scraps, this record is a sumptuous banquet at which the guests around the table, some tipsy on sacred drink, flutter between discussions about ancient saints, the profound feeling of heartbreaking sadness, and common gossip about useless men. In essence, it's a modern-day musical from music's truly restlessly inventive practitioner.
