At first glance, this album might appear more like an arduous university challenge rather than the latest pop project by a musician whose previous single featured a global pop icon. Divided across 4 distinct sections and performed in thirteen tongues, this is a head-spinning orchestral-influenced album that delves into female mystery, religious ascent, and physical change, frequently through the prism of various female saints. The dissolution of a love affair—a topic handled with grounded honesty elsewhere—soars skyward on this record, buoyed by the lush sound of a full orchestra and work from a Pulitzer-winning composer within a long list of collaborators. Its sheer ambition alone makes the efforts of contemporary artists seem rather small.
Rising Above Scholarly Exercise
That Lux succeeds in avoid dry academic posturing feels nearly a miracle, with full praise belonging to the artist. Although this is not the first time project to fuse historical sounds and the present, the stakes are far higher here, and the balancing act more pronounced. What truly raises this fourth release, outside of its multilayered melodies, rich arrangements, and engrained theatricality, is a core spirit of playfulness. Similar to the legendary artist at her height, you find a captivating quality to Rosalía's singing which sweeps you into its whirlwind. When she is tearing your heart in two, the listener nevertheless desire to be alongside her for the journey.
A Prime Moment of Exuberance
That exuberant spirit shines clearly on the stirring Italian song inspired by Saint Clare. It bathes in a string-drenched melancholy over more than four moments. Suddenly, everything falls away, and we hear a spontaneous giggle and a declaration before a hilariously over-the-top string surge crashes in with comedic impact. The song immediately shifts into the wild track featuring racing orchestration, a powerful choir, and a cameo appearance from the artist herself.
"The charm with Lux lies in you never quite understand—or even wish to predict—what you will go to next."
Almost each track ends in a totally distinct point than where it began. One moment examines the fleeting trappings of fame over a featherlight symphony before disintegrating in electronic chaos. Another, a cut echoing her earlier rhythmic style begins off dark and sinister, with menacing beats, until sudden flamenco rhythms and a heavenly choir enter to smooth the song's rough edges.
The Bridge Between Experiment & Accessibility
Another crucial achievement on the album involves navigating the line between radical experimentation and broad appeal. It is no surprise that it has achieved her highest-charting release to break into the upper reaches of major markets: at its core a collection of truly undeniable pop songs. One track performed entirely in English builds on a refrain that seems to collect increasingly infectious melodies while it spirals upward. That trick is repeated on a different expansive ballad that grows and contracts, weaving multiple melodies like an intricate weave.
- A waltz-like number charms with its playful, theatrical flair and an anthemic hook.
- In its words, it shares the cultural impact of contemporary heartbreak songs, lambasting a former lover labeled an "psychological terrorist".
- Across the album, the singing have a sharp smile, like a storybook character concealing a blade: "Top prize in acting like a motherfucker / You've won the trophy of disappointment."
A Maximalist Feast for the Ears
Lux is pop on a maximalist level, a hungry grasp for capital-A Art in an era of looming artificial blankness. It eschews solipsism for sublime transcendence, crafting a dramatic drama that masterfully manages its own inherent ridiculousness. This is an abundant well of buried gems that requires patience to completely mine but never seem like hard work. While other big releases of the year felt like feasting on meal, this record offers a sumptuous feast at which the guests around the table, some intoxicated on holy wine, flit between conversations about historical saints, the profound feeling of soul-shattering sadness, and shared gossip about hopeless partners. It is a modern-day musical from music's truly endlessly inventive visionary.
