On the surface, this work might appear closer to a difficult academic quiz than a new popular music record from a musician who just had a last single featured a global pop icon. Divided into 4 distinct parts and performed in 13 tongues, we have a dizzying symphonic opus exploring female mystery, religious transcendence, and bodily transformation, often through the lens of various female saints. The end of a relationship—a theme handled with grounded openness elsewhere—is shot skyward on this record, supported by the lush presence of a full orchestra and work from an award-winning songwriter among a vast roll call of contributors. Its sheer audacity by itself renders the work of other pop stars seem quite laughable.
Rising Above Academic Pretense
That Lux manages to avoid dry academic posturing is almost a miracle, and sole praise going to Rosalía. Although it's not the first time project to alchemize historical sounds with the present, its stakes feel far higher here, and the tightrope walk more pronounced. The element that really raises her fourth album, outside of its complex melodies, rich compositions, and inherent theatricality, is an essential sense of joy. Much like the iconic artist at her peak, you find a wondrous quality to the vocalist's voice which sweeps you into its whirlwind. Even when she is tearing hearts in two, you still desire to be alongside her for the ride.
A Prime Moment of Exuberance
This exuberant energy shines clearly during a stirring piano-led song inspired by a saint. It bathes in a sorrowful whirlpool for more than four minutes. Then, all the music falls silent, to reveal there's a spontaneous laugh followed by a declaration prior to a comically over-the-top orchestral surge crashes in with cartoonish force. The track then shifts into the frenetic track driven by galloping orchestration, a powerful choir, and a surprise appearance from none other than herself.
"The charm with this album lies in the listener rarely quite understand—or even want to know—what it will go next."
Nearly each song finishes at a totally different place from how it started. One moment explores the fleeting nature of celebrity with a delicate orchestration only to disintegrating into electronic chaos. Another, a song that recalls her previous trap-infused style starts out moody and sinister, with prowling vocals, before fluttering flamenco handclaps and a heavenly chorus arrive to soften its rough edges.
The Bridge Between Experiment & Pop
A key achievement of Lux involves straddling the line between bold experimentation and mainstream accessibility. It is little coincidence that it has achieved her first work to crack the Top 5 of major markets: its heart contains a collection of truly catchy pop songs. A song sung primarily in English builds on a chorus that feels to collect increasingly infectious melodies while it spins upward. That trick is echoed by another expansive ballad that grows and constricts, weaving multiple melodies as an intricate tapestry.
- A waltz-like number seduces with its playful, theatrical flair and a chant-along chorus.
- Lyrically, it shares the cultural honesty of contemporary heartbreak songs, eviscerating an ex- partner labeled an "emotional bully".
- Across the album, the singing have a sharp edge, akin to a fairy-tale character hiding a knife: "Gold medal in acting like a scoundrel / You've won the trophy of disappointment."
A Maximalist Banquet for the Soul
Lux is pop on a maximalist scale, a hungry grasp for capital-A Art in an era of looming AI-generated sameness. It rejects self-absorption for sublime transcendence, creating an over-the-top spectacle that masterfully controls its own built-in ridiculousness. This is a deep source of buried gems that requires patience to completely explore but doesn't feels like a chore. While other major releases of the year seemed like feasting on meal, this record offers a sumptuous feast at which the characters at it, perhaps tipsy on holy wine, flit from conversations about ancient figures, the galvanizing sensation of heartbreaking sadness, and common gossip about hopeless partners. In essence, it's a contemporary musical from music's truly restlessly creative practitioner.
