At first glance, Lux might appear more like a difficult scholarly quiz rather than a new pop record by an artist whose previous hit was a collaboration with an international K-pop star. Split across four distinct sections and sung in 13 tongues, we have a dizzying orchestral-influenced opus that delves into female mystery, religious transcendence, and physical transformation, often by way of the lens of various female saints. The end of a romance—a topic handled with grounded openness elsewhere—is launched heavenward here, carried by the lush presence of a full orchestra and input from an award-winning songwriter within a long list of collaborators. Its sheer daring alone renders the efforts of other artists appear rather small.
Rising Above Academic Exercise
The fact that this album manages to transcend dry intellectual chin-stroking is nothing short of a miracle, and full credit going to Rosalía. While it's not the first time album to alchemize historical sounds with modern styles, the scale feel much greater here, with the tightrope walk more pronounced. The element that truly raises her fourth album, outside of its multilayered melodies, dense arrangements, and engrained theatricality, proves to be an essential sense of joy. Much like the legendary Björk during her height, there is a captivating sense to the vocalist's singing which sweeps you up in its tornado. Even when she is tearing hearts in two, you nevertheless desire to be alongside her for the ride.
A Prime Example of Joy
That exuberant spirit shines clearly on a stirring Italian song about a saint. It luxuriates in a sorrowful whirlpool over several minutes. Suddenly, everything falls silent, to reveal we hear a spontaneous giggle and a comment before a comically exaggerated string crescendo crashes in with comedic force. The track then shifts to the wild single featuring racing strings, an imposing choral group, and a cameo role from the artist Björk.
"The charm of this album lies in you rarely quite know—nor wish to know—what you is going next."
Almost every track concludes at a totally distinct point than how it began. A track explores the transient nature of fame over a delicate symphony only to disintegrating in electronic chaos. Elsewhere, a song echoing the artist's earlier rhythmic style starts off dark and brooding, featuring menacing vocals, until sudden traditional rhythms and an angelic chorus arrive to smooth the song's jagged corners.
The Bridge Between Art & Accessibility
A key achievement on the album is navigating the gap between bold innovation and mainstream appeal. It is little surprise that it has achieved her first release to break into the upper reaches of key charts: at its core a suite of truly catchy hits. A song sung primarily in the English language builds on a chorus that feels to gather increasingly nagging melodies as it spins upward. This trick gets repeated by a different powerful track that grows and constricts, weaving layered melodies as a complex weave.
- A dance-infused number seduces with its jaunty, Disney-adjacent flair and an anthemic hook.
- In its words, it aligns the pop culture honesty of other breakup songs, eviscerating an ex- lover labeled an "psychological bully".
- Throughout the album, the singing carry a sharp edge, akin to a fairy-tale character hiding a knife: "Gold medal in being a scoundrel / You have won the trophy of disappointment."
An Opulent Feast for the Soul
Lux is popular music on a grand level, an ambitious reach for high Art amid of looming artificial blankness. It eschews solipsism in favor of glorious elevation, creating an over-the-top spectacle that skillfully controls its own built-in ridiculousness. This is a deep source of buried gems that requires time to fully mine but doesn't seem like hard work. Where other big releases of the year seemed like feasting on meal, Lux is a sumptuous feast at which the guests at it, some tipsy on sacred wine, flutter between conversations about ancient figures, the profound sensation of heartbreaking sadness, and common gossip about useless partners. In essence, it's a modern-day theatrical production from music's truly restlessly creative practitioner.
