At first glance, this work may look closer to a difficult university quiz rather than the latest pop record from an artist whose last single was a collaboration with an international K-pop star. Divided across four different parts and voiced in thirteen tongues, it is a dizzying symphonic work that delves into female mystique, spiritual ascent, and corporal transformation, often via the perspective of different female saints. The dissolution of a romance—a theme handled with raw honesty elsewhere—is launched upwards here, buoyed by the constant presence of a full orchestra and work from a Pulitzer-winning composer among a long list of contributors. The pure audacity by itself renders the work of other artists appear quite modest.
Rising Above Scholarly Pretense
The fact that this album succeeds in transcend overly academic posturing feels nearly a miracle, with complete credit belonging to Rosalía. While this is not the first time album to blend the past with modern styles, the ambitions are far higher on Lux, with the balancing act far more dramatic. What really elevates this fourth release, beyond its multilayered melodies, dense compositions, and inherent theatricality, is a core sense of fun. Much like the iconic Björk during her peak, there is a wondrous quality to Rosalía's voice which sweeps you up in its whirlwind. When she's breaking hearts apart, the listener nevertheless desire to be alongside her through the journey.
A Prime Example of Exuberance
That playful energy shines brightly on a stirring Italian ballad about Saint Clare. It luxuriates in a sorrowful whirlpool over several minutes. Suddenly, everything drops away, to reveal there's a gleeful giggle followed by a declaration prior to a comically over-the-top orchestral surge thuds in with comedic impact. The track immediately segues to the wild track featuring racing orchestration, an imposing choral group, and a cameo appearance from the artist herself.
"The charm with this album is that the listener rarely exactly know—or even want to know—where you will go to next."
Almost every track concludes at a completely different place from where it started. A track explores the fleeting nature of fame over a featherlight symphony before collapsing in digital cacophony. Elsewhere, a cut echoing her previous rhythmic work begins out moody and sinister, with prowling vocals, until fluttering flamenco handclaps and a heavenly choir arrive to soften the song's jagged corners.
The Balance Of Art & Pop
A key balancing act of Lux is straddling the line of radical innovation and broad appeal. It is no surprise that it has become her first release to break into the upper reaches of key charts: at its core a suite of truly catchy pop songs. One track sung entirely in English builds on a refrain that seems to gather increasingly nagging hooks while it spins skyward. This trick is repeated on another expansive ballad that expands and contracts, weaving layered tunes as a complex tapestry.
- A dance-infused number seduces via its jaunty, Disney-adjacent drama and a chant-along hook.
- Lyrically, it shares the pop culture impact of other heartbreak songs, eviscerating an ex- partner described as an "psychological bully".
- Throughout these tracks, the vocals have a painted-on edge, akin to a fairy-tale figure concealing a blade: "Gold medal in acting like a motherfucker / You've the podium of letdown."
A Maximalist Banquet for the Soul
This album represents popular music on a maximalist scale, an ambitious reach for capital-A Art in an era of impending artificial sameness. It rejects self-absorption for glorious transcendence, crafting an over-the-top drama that masterfully controls its own inherent ridiculousness. It is an abundant source of buried gems that takes time to fully explore but doesn't seem like a chore. Where other big pop albums of the year seemed like feasting on meal, Lux is a sumptuous banquet where the characters around the table, some intoxicated on sacred wine, flutter between discussions about historical figures, the profound feeling of soul-shattering sadness, and common stories about hopeless men. It is a contemporary theatrical production from pop's truly restlessly inventive visionary.
