At first glance, Lux could seem closer to a difficult scholarly challenge than the latest pop album by a musician who just had a previous hit was a collaboration with an international K-pop star. Split across 4 distinct sections and sung in thirteen languages, this is a dizzying orchestral-influenced opus investigating feminine mystery, spiritual transcendence, and bodily transformation, frequently through the lens of different women saints. The end of a love affair—a theme handled with raw openness elsewhere—is shot heavenward here, buoyed by the lush presence of a full symphony orchestra and contributions from a Pulitzer-winning composer within a vast list of contributors. Its sheer daring by itself makes the work of other artists appear quite modest.
Transcending Scholarly Pretense
That Lux manages to avoid overly academic posturing is nothing short of a miracle, and sole credit going to Rosalía. Although this is not the first time project to fuse historical sounds and modern styles, the ambitions are far higher on Lux, with the tightrope walk more pronounced. The element that really elevates her fourth album, outside of its multilayered melodies, dense compositions, and engrained theatricality, proves to be a core spirit of playfulness. Much like the iconic artist at her height, there is a wondrous sense to Rosalía's singing that pulls the listener into its whirlwind. Even when she's breaking your heart in two, you nevertheless desire to stay right there for the ride.
A Prime Example of Exuberance
That playful spirit shines brightly during a stirring piano-led ballad about a saint. It luxuriates in a sorrowful whirlpool over more than four moments. Then, all the music falls away, to reveal we hear a gleeful giggle followed by a comment before a comically exaggerated string crescendo thuds in with comedic force. The track then shifts to the wild track driven by galloping strings, a powerful choir, and a surprise appearance from the artist Björk.
"The magic with Lux lies in the listener rarely quite understand—nor want to predict—where it is going next."
Nearly each track ends in a totally distinct place from where it began. One moment explores the fleeting nature of fame over a delicate orchestration only to collapsing in digital cacophony. Another, a song echoing the artist's previous rhythmic work begins off dark and sinister, featuring prowling beats, before sudden traditional rhythms and a heavenly chorus enter to soften its jagged corners.
The Balance Between Experiment & Pop
Another crucial achievement on Lux is straddling the gap of radical innovation and mainstream accessibility. This is little coincidence that it has become her highest-charting work to crack the Top 5 of major charts: at its core a collection of truly undeniable hits. One track performed entirely in the English language swells around a refrain that seems to collect more and more nagging melodies while it spins upward. This feat gets echoed by a different powerful track that grows and contracts, intertwining multiple melodies as a complex tapestry.
- A waltz-like song charms with its playful, theatrical drama and a chant-along hook.
- Lyrically, it shares with pop culture honesty of contemporary heartbreak songs, lambasting an ex- lover labeled an "emotional bully".
- Across these tracks, the singing carry a sharp edge, like a fairy-tale character concealing a knife: "Top prize in being a scoundrel / You've the podium of letdown."
A Maximalist Banquet for the Soul
This album represents pop on a grand level, an ambitious grasp for capital-A Art amid of looming artificial blankness. It eschews solipsism for sublime transcendence, creating a dramatic drama that masterfully controls its own built-in ridiculousness. This is a deep source of hidden treasure that requires patience to completely mine but never feels like hard work. Where other big pop albums of the year seemed like feasting on meal, this record is a lavish banquet where the characters around it, perhaps intoxicated on sacred drink, flit between conversations about ancient saints, the profound feeling of heartbreaking grief, and shared gossip about hopeless partners. It is a contemporary musical from pop's truly endlessly inventive visionary.
