On the surface, this album could seem more like an arduous scholarly challenge rather than a new pop album from a musician who just had a previous single was a collaboration with an international K-pop star. Divided into 4 separate sections and performed in thirteen languages, it is a dizzying orchestral-influenced album exploring female mystique, spiritual transcendence, and physical change, often by way of the prism of various women saints. The end of a romance—a theme treated with grounded honesty elsewhere—is launched skyward here, supported by the lush sound of a full symphony orchestra and work from a Pulitzer-winning composer within an extensive list of collaborators. The pure ambition by itself renders the efforts of contemporary artists seem quite laughable.
Rising Above Academic Pretense
The fact that Lux succeeds in escape dry intellectual chin-stroking feels nothing short of a miracle, and sole credit going to Rosalía. While this is not her first project to alchemize historical sounds with the present, the ambitions feel far higher on Lux, with the tightrope walk more precarious. What really raises this fourth release, outside of its multilayered tunes, rich arrangements, and engrained theatricality, proves to be an essential sense of joy. Much like the iconic Björk at her peak, there is a captivating quality to Rosalía's voice which sweeps you up in its whirlwind. Even when she's tearing hearts in two, you nevertheless want to be right there through the journey.
A Prime Example of Exuberance
This playful spirit shines clearly on the stunning Italian song inspired by Saint Clare. It bathes in a sorrowful melancholy over more than four moments. Suddenly, all the music falls silent, to reveal we hear a spontaneous laugh followed by a declaration before a hilariously over-the-top string crescendo thuds down with cartoonish force. The song then shifts to the frenetic track driven by galloping orchestration, an imposing choir, and a cameo appearance from none other than herself.
"The magic of Lux lies in the listener rarely exactly know—nor want to know—where it will go to next."
Almost every song concludes at a completely distinct place from how it started. A track explores the transient trappings of fame over a delicate orchestration only to disintegrating into digital cacophony. Elsewhere, a song echoing her earlier rhythmic work starts out moody and brooding, featuring menacing beats, before fluttering traditional handclaps and an angelic choir enter to soften the song's jagged corners.
The Balance Of Art and Accessibility
A key balancing act of Lux is straddling the line of bold experimentation and broad appeal. It is little surprise that it has achieved her first release to crack the upper reaches of key markets: at its core a suite of utterly undeniable hits. A song performed entirely in English builds around a chorus that feels to gather more and more infectious hooks as it spirals upward. That trick is echoed by a different powerful track that grows and constricts, intertwining multiple tunes as an intricate tapestry.
- A dance-infused number charms via its jaunty, theatrical drama and an anthemic chorus.
- Lyrically, it shares the pop culture impact of contemporary breakup songs, eviscerating an ex- partner labeled an "psychological terrorist".
- Across these tracks, the singing have a painted-on smile, like a storybook figure concealing a knife: "Gold medal in being a scoundrel / You've won the trophy of disappointment."
An Opulent Banquet for the Soul
Lux represents popular music on a maximalist scale, an ambitious reach for high Art in an era of looming AI-generated sameness. It eschews solipsism in favor of glorious elevation, crafting a dramatic spectacle that skillfully controls its own built-in ridiculousness. It is an abundant source of hidden gems that requires time to completely explore but never seem like hard work. While some big releases of the year seemed like feasting on scraps, Lux offers a lavish banquet where the characters around it, perhaps intoxicated on sacred wine, flutter between conversations about historical figures, the profound sensation of heartbreaking grief, and common stories about useless men. It is a modern-day musical from pop's most restlessly creative practitioner.
