Initially, Lux may look closer to a difficult scholarly challenge than the latest pop project by a musician who just had a last single featured a global K-pop icon. Split into four separate sections and performed in thirteen languages, it is a breathtaking classical-tinged opus investigating female mystery, religious transcendence, and physical transformation, often via the prism of various women saints. The end of a relationship—a theme treated with grounded openness elsewhere—is launched skyward on this record, supported by the constant presence of a major symphony orchestra and input from a Pulitzer-winning composer within a long roll call of collaborators. Its sheer audacity alone renders the work of contemporary pop stars look quite laughable.
Transcending Academic Pretense
That this album manages to avoid overly academic chin-stroking feels almost miraculous, with full credit going to Rosalía. While this is not her first album to alchemize historical sounds with modern styles, the scale are much higher on Lux, with the balancing act more precarious. The element that truly elevates her fourth release, beyond its complex melodies, dense arrangements, and inherent theatricality, is a core spirit of joy. Much like the legendary artist at her height, you find a captivating sense to the vocalist's singing which sweeps the listener up in its whirlwind. When she's tearing hearts in two, you still want to stay alongside her through the journey.
A Signature Example of Joy
That playful spirit comes forth brightly on the stirring piano-led song about Saint Clare. It bathes in a sorrowful whirlpool over several moments. Suddenly, everything falls away, and we hear a gleeful giggle followed by a comment before a hilariously exaggerated string crescendo crashes in like comedic impact. The track then shifts to the wild single featuring galloping strings, an imposing choral group, and a cameo role from the artist Björk.
"The magic with this album is that you rarely exactly know—nor wish to know—where you will go next."
Nearly each track finishes in a completely distinct point than where it started. One moment examines the fleeting trappings of fame over a featherlight symphony before disintegrating into electronic cacophony. Another, a cut that recalls the artist's previous trap-infused work starts out moody and brooding, with menacing beats, before sudden traditional handclaps and a heavenly chorus arrive to smooth the song's rough edges.
The Bridge Between Experiment & Accessibility
A key balancing act on Lux is navigating the line between radical experimentation and broad appeal. This is little coincidence that it has achieved her highest-charting work to break into the upper reaches of major markets: its heart contains a suite of truly undeniable pop songs. A song performed primarily in English swells around a chorus that feels to gather more and more nagging melodies as it spins upward. This feat gets repeated on a different powerful ballad that grows and constricts, weaving multiple tunes as a complex tapestry.
- A waltz-like number seduces via its playful, theatrical flair and a chant-along hook.
- In its words, it aligns with pop culture impact of other breakup anthems, lambasting a former lover described as an "psychological bully".
- Throughout the album, the singing carry a painted-on edge, akin to a storybook character hiding a blade: "Top prize in being a motherfucker / You have the podium of disappointment."
An Opulent Feast for the Soul
Lux represents popular music on a grand level, an ambitious reach for high Art in an era of impending artificial sameness. It eschews solipsism for glorious transcendence, creating an over-the-top drama that skillfully manages its own inherent ridiculousness. This is a deep source of hidden treasure that takes time to completely mine but doesn't seem like a chore. While other major pop albums of the year seemed like feasting on scraps, this record is a lavish feast where the guests at it, some intoxicated on holy wine, flutter from discussions about ancient saints, the galvanizing sensation of heartbreaking grief, and shared gossip about useless men. In essence, it's a modern-day musical from music's truly restlessly creative visionary.
