At first glance, Lux could seem more like an arduous university examination rather than a new popular music album by an artist whose last single was a collaboration with an international K-pop icon. Broken into four distinct movements and voiced in thirteen tongues, we have a head-spinning symphonic album that delves into female mystique, spiritual ascent, and bodily change, often via the lens of different saintly figures. The dissolution of a relationship—a topic handled with grounded honesty elsewhere—is launched skyward on this record, carried by the constant sound of a major symphony orchestra and contributions from a Pulitzer-winning composer within a long roll call of contributors. The pure ambition alone renders the work of other artists appear quite modest.
Transcending Academic Pretense
That Lux manages to transcend overly intellectual chin-stroking is nearly miraculous, with sole credit going to the artist. Although this is not the first time project to blend historical sounds with the present, its scale are far higher here, and the tightrope walk far more precarious. The element that really elevates her fourth release, outside of its multilayered tunes, rich compositions, and engrained theatricality, is an essential spirit of joy. Much like the legendary artist at her height, there is a captivating quality to Rosalía's voice that pulls you up in its whirlwind. When she's breaking your heart apart, you nevertheless desire to be alongside her for the journey.
A Signature Example of Exuberance
That playful spirit comes forth clearly during the stunning Italian ballad inspired by a saint. It bathes in a string-drenched melancholy over more than four moments. Suddenly, everything drops away, to reveal we hear a spontaneous laugh followed by a declaration before a hilariously exaggerated string crescendo thuds in like cartoonish impact. The song immediately segues into the frenetic single featuring racing orchestration, an imposing choral group, and a surprise role from the artist Björk.
"The magic of Lux lies in you never exactly know—nor wish to know—what it will go to next."
Almost every track finishes in a totally distinct point from where it started. One moment explores the transient nature of celebrity with a delicate symphony before collapsing in electronic chaos. Another, a cut echoing the artist's earlier trap-infused work begins off moody and sinister, with menacing beats, before fluttering traditional rhythms and a heavenly choir arrive to smooth its rough edges.
The Bridge Of Experiment & Accessibility
Another crucial achievement on Lux involves navigating the line of bold experimentation and mainstream appeal. It is little surprise that the album has become her highest-charting work to crack the Top 5 of major markets: at its core a collection of utterly catchy pop songs. One track performed entirely in English builds around a refrain that feels to gather more and more infectious hooks as it spirals upward. This feat gets echoed on another expansive ballad that grows and contracts, weaving layered tunes as a complex weave.
- A waltz-like song charms with its jaunty, theatrical drama and an anthemic chorus.
- Lyrically, it shares with cultural impact of other breakup songs, eviscerating a former lover described as an "emotional bully".
- Throughout these tracks, the singing carry a painted-on edge, like a fairy-tale character hiding a blade: "Gold medal in acting like a motherfucker / You have the podium of disappointment."
An Opulent Banquet for the Soul
This album represents popular music on a maximalist level, an ambitious grasp for high artistry in an era of looming artificial sameness. It rejects self-absorption for sublime elevation, crafting a dramatic spectacle that masterfully manages its own inherent ridiculousness. This is a deep source of hidden treasure that takes time to completely explore but doesn't seem like hard work. While some big releases of the year seemed like a meager scraps, this record is a sumptuous banquet at which the guests around the table, some intoxicated on holy drink, flutter from discussions about ancient figures, the profound feeling of heartbreaking sadness, and common gossip about hopeless partners. In essence, it's a contemporary theatrical production from music's most restlessly inventive practitioner.
