On the surface, this album could seem more like an arduous scholarly examination than a new pop project from an artist whose previous hit was a collaboration with an international pop star. Split into four different movements and sung in 13 languages, this is a head-spinning classical-tinged opus investigating female mystery, spiritual transcendence, and physical transformation, often through the lens of various female saints. The end of a romance—a topic handled with grounded openness elsewhere—soars skyward on this record, supported by the lush presence of a full orchestra and contributions from a Pulitzer-winning songwriter among a long list of contributors. Its sheer audacity by itself makes the efforts of contemporary pop stars look rather small.
Rising Above Academic Pretense
That Lux succeeds in avoid dry academic chin-stroking feels almost a miracle, with complete credit going to Rosalía. Although this is not her first project to alchemize the past with the present, its stakes feel much higher on Lux, and the balancing act more dramatic. The element that truly raises her fourth album, beyond its complex melodies, rich arrangements, and engrained theatricality, proves to be a core sense of joy. Much like the iconic Björk at her height, you find a wondrous quality to the vocalist's voice that pulls the listener up in its tornado. Even when she is tearing hearts apart, the listener nevertheless desire to stay right there for the ride.
A Signature Example of Exuberance
That playful energy shines brightly during the stirring piano-led ballad about a saint. It luxuriates in a string-drenched whirlpool for several minutes. Then, all the music falls silent, and we hear a gleeful giggle and a comment prior to a comically over-the-top orchestral crescendo crashes down like cartoonish force. The song then shifts to the wild track driven by racing strings, a powerful choir, and a surprise role from the artist herself.
"The magic of this album is that you never exactly understand—or even want to predict—where it will go to next."
Nearly each track concludes at a completely different point than where it started. One moment examines the fleeting nature of celebrity with a featherlight orchestration before disintegrating into digital cacophony. Another, a song that recalls the artist's earlier rhythmic style begins off moody and brooding, with prowling beats, until fluttering traditional rhythms and an angelic chorus enter to soften the song's jagged corners.
The Bridge Between Experiment and Pop
Another crucial balancing act of Lux is straddling the gap of radical innovation and broad appeal. This is little surprise that it has become her highest-charting release to break into the upper reaches of key markets: its heart contains a suite of utterly catchy hits. One track performed primarily in English swells on a chorus that seems to gather increasingly infectious hooks while it spins upward. This trick gets repeated on another expansive track that expands and constricts, weaving multiple melodies as a complex weave.
- A dance-infused song charms with its jaunty, theatrical flair and an anthemic hook.
- Lyrically, it aligns the pop culture honesty of other heartbreak anthems, eviscerating an ex- partner described as an "emotional bully".
- Across the album, the vocals have a painted-on edge, like a fairy-tale figure hiding a knife: "Gold medal in being a scoundrel / You've the podium of letdown."
An Opulent Feast for the Ears
This album is pop on a grand level, an ambitious grasp for capital-A Art amid of looming artificial blankness. It rejects solipsism in favor of sublime transcendence, crafting an over-the-top drama that masterfully manages its own inherent ridiculousness. This is an abundant well of hidden gems that requires time to completely mine but doesn't feels like a chore. Where some major releases of the year felt like a meager meal, this record offers a lavish banquet at which the guests around it, perhaps tipsy on holy wine, flit from discussions about historical saints, the profound sensation of soul-shattering sadness, and common gossip about useless partners. In essence, it's a modern-day theatrical production from pop's most endlessly inventive practitioner.
