At first glance, Lux may look closer to a challenging university examination than a new pop album by an artist whose previous single was a collaboration with a global pop star. Divided across 4 different sections and performed in thirteen tongues, this is a head-spinning orchestral-influenced opus that delves into female mystery, spiritual transcendence, and bodily change, often by way of the perspective of different women saints. The dissolution of a romance—a topic handled with grounded honesty elsewhere—soars heavenward on this record, buoyed by the lush presence of a full orchestra and contributions from an award-winning songwriter within a vast roll call of collaborators. The pure ambition alone renders the work of other artists seem rather laughable.
Transcending Academic Exercise
The fact that this album manages to avoid dry academic posturing feels almost a miracle, with full credit going to Rosalía. Although it's not her first project to fuse the past and modern styles, the stakes feel much greater on Lux, and the tightrope walk more precarious. What really elevates this fourth album, outside of its multilayered melodies, dense arrangements, and inherent drama, proves to be an essential sense of joy. Much like the iconic artist at her height, there is a wondrous sense to Rosalía's voice which sweeps you into its whirlwind. Even when she is breaking hearts in two, you nevertheless want to be right there for the ride.
A Signature Moment of Joy
That playful energy shines clearly during the stirring Italian ballad inspired by a saint. It bathes in a string-drenched melancholy for more than four moments. Suddenly, everything drops silent, and we hear a spontaneous laugh followed by a comment before a comically exaggerated orchestral surge crashes in like cartoonish impact. The song immediately segues to the frenetic single driven by racing strings, a powerful choir, and a surprise role from none other than herself.
"The magic with this album is that the listener never quite understand—nor want to predict—what it will go next."
Almost every song finishes in a completely distinct place than how it began. One moment examines the fleeting trappings of fame over a delicate orchestration before disintegrating in digital cacophony. Another, a cut that recalls her earlier rhythmic work begins off dark and brooding, with menacing beats, until fluttering flamenco handclaps and a heavenly choir enter to smooth its jagged corners.
The Bridge Of Art & Accessibility
Another crucial achievement on Lux is navigating the gap of bold innovation and broad appeal. This is no coincidence that the album has become her first release to break into the upper reaches of key charts: at its core a collection of truly undeniable pop songs. One track performed primarily in English swells on a chorus that feels to collect increasingly infectious melodies while it spins upward. That feat is repeated by a different powerful track that grows and contracts, intertwining multiple tunes as an intricate tapestry.
- A dance-infused number charms via its jaunty, theatrical flair and an anthemic chorus.
- In its words, it shares the cultural impact of contemporary heartbreak songs, lambasting a former partner labeled an "psychological bully".
- Throughout these tracks, the singing carry a sharp edge, like a storybook character hiding a knife: "Gold medal in being a scoundrel / You have won the trophy of disappointment."
An Opulent Feast for the Soul
This album is popular music on a grand level, a hungry reach for capital-A Art in an era of looming artificial sameness. It eschews solipsism for sublime transcendence, crafting a dramatic spectacle that skillfully manages its inherent excess. It is an abundant source of hidden treasure that takes time to fully explore but never seem like hard work. Where other major pop albums of the year seemed like a meager meal, this record offers a sumptuous feast at which the characters at the table, some tipsy on sacred drink, flit between discussions about historical figures, the profound feeling of soul-shattering sadness, and common gossip about hopeless men. It is a modern-day theatrical production from music's truly restlessly inventive visionary.
