On the surface, Lux could seem more like an arduous academic examination than the latest pop record by an artist who just had a last single was a collaboration with an international pop star. Split across 4 separate movements and voiced in 13 tongues, this is a head-spinning classical-tinged album investigating feminine mystery, spiritual ascent, and bodily transformation, often through the lens of various women saints. The dissolution of a love affair—a topic handled with raw honesty elsewhere—soars heavenward on this record, supported by the lush sound of a major symphony orchestra and contributions from an award-winning composer within a vast list of contributors. Its sheer audacity by itself renders the work of contemporary artists look rather laughable.
Transcending Scholarly Exercise
That this album manages to escape overly academic posturing feels nothing short of miraculous, and sole praise belonging to the artist. Although it's not her first project to alchemize the past with modern styles, the scale are far higher here, and the balancing act far more precarious. The element that truly elevates this fourth release, outside of its complex melodies, rich arrangements, and inherent theatricality, is an essential spirit of fun. Much like the iconic Björk during her height, there is a wondrous quality to Rosalía's singing that pulls the listener into its whirlwind. When she's breaking your heart in two, the listener nevertheless desire to stay alongside her through the journey.
A Signature Moment of Joy
This exuberant energy comes forth clearly on the stirring Italian ballad inspired by Saint Clare. It luxuriates in a sorrowful whirlpool for several moments. Then, everything drops silent, to reveal there's a gleeful laugh and a comment prior to a comically over-the-top string crescendo thuds in with comedic force. The song immediately segues to the frenetic track featuring galloping strings, a powerful choir, and a cameo role from none other than herself.
"The magic with this album is that the listener rarely exactly know—or even want to know—what it will go next."
Nearly every track concludes in a completely different point from where it began. One moment explores the fleeting nature of celebrity with a featherlight orchestration only to disintegrating in electronic chaos. Elsewhere, a song that recalls the artist's previous trap-infused work starts out dark and sinister, with menacing vocals, before fluttering traditional handclaps and a heavenly chorus arrive to soften its rough edges.
The Balance Of Experiment and Pop
A key balancing act of the album involves straddling the line of bold experimentation and mainstream appeal. This is little surprise that the album has become the artist's highest-charting release to break into the upper reaches of major markets: at its core a collection of truly catchy hits. A song sung entirely in the English language builds on a refrain that feels to gather increasingly nagging hooks while it spins skyward. That trick is repeated by a different expansive ballad that grows and constricts, intertwining layered tunes like a complex tapestry.
- A waltz-like number charms via its jaunty, Disney-adjacent drama and an anthemic chorus.
- Lyrically, it shares with cultural honesty of other breakup anthems, eviscerating a former partner labeled an "emotional terrorist".
- Throughout these tracks, the singing have a sharp smile, like a storybook figure hiding a blade: "Top prize in being a motherfucker / You have the podium of disappointment."
An Opulent Feast for the Ears
Lux represents pop on a grand scale, an ambitious grasp for high artistry amid of impending artificial blankness. It eschews self-absorption for sublime elevation, crafting a dramatic spectacle that masterfully controls its own inherent excess. It is an abundant source of buried gems that takes patience to fully mine but never seem like hard work. Where some major pop albums of the year seemed like feasting on meal, Lux is a sumptuous feast where the characters at the table, some tipsy on sacred wine, flit between discussions about historical saints, the galvanizing sensation of heartbreaking grief, and shared stories about useless men. In essence, it's a modern-day musical from pop's truly restlessly inventive visionary.
