Initially, this album might appear more like a challenging university quiz rather than a new popular music project by an artist whose previous single featured a global pop star. Divided into four separate movements and voiced in thirteen tongues, this is a breathtaking symphonic opus that delves into feminine mystique, spiritual ascent, and corporal change, often through the lens of different female saints. The dissolution of a romance—a theme handled with raw openness elsewhere—is launched heavenward here, supported by the constant sound of a full symphony orchestra and work from a Pulitzer-winning composer among a long roll call of collaborators. Its sheer ambition by itself makes the work of other pop stars look rather small.
Transcending Scholarly Exercise
That this album manages to escape overly academic posturing is almost miraculous, with full credit going to the artist. Although this is not her first project to alchemize historical sounds and the present, the ambitions feel much greater here, with the tightrope walk more pronounced. What really raises her fourth release, outside of its complex melodies, rich arrangements, and engrained drama, proves to be an essential sense of playfulness. Much like the legendary artist at her peak, there is a wondrous sense to Rosalía's voice that pulls the listener up in its whirlwind. Even when she is tearing hearts in two, you still desire to stay alongside her through the ride.
A Signature Example of Joy
That exuberant energy shines clearly on a stunning piano-led song inspired by a saint. It luxuriates in a sorrowful melancholy over several moments. Suddenly, everything drops away, to reveal we hear a spontaneous giggle and a comment prior to a comically exaggerated string crescendo thuds down like cartoonish force. The song then segues into the frenetic track driven by racing strings, a powerful choral group, and a cameo appearance from none other than herself.
"The magic with this album lies in the listener rarely quite know—nor want to predict—where it is going to next."
Almost each track ends at a completely different place than where it started. One moment explores the fleeting trappings of fame with a delicate orchestration before collapsing into digital chaos. Elsewhere, a song echoing her earlier rhythmic work begins out dark and sinister, featuring menacing vocals, until fluttering flamenco handclaps and an angelic choir arrive to soften its rough edges.
The Bridge Between Experiment & Accessibility
A key achievement on the album involves navigating the gap of bold innovation and mainstream appeal. This is little surprise that the album has become the artist's first release to crack the Top 5 of major charts: its heart contains a collection of truly catchy hits. A song performed entirely in English swells around a chorus that feels to collect more and more nagging hooks while it spins upward. This trick is echoed on another expansive ballad that grows and constricts, weaving multiple melodies like an intricate tapestry.
- A dance-infused number seduces with its playful, theatrical drama and an anthemic chorus.
- In its words, it aligns the pop culture impact of contemporary breakup songs, lambasting an ex- lover described as an "psychological terrorist".
- Throughout the album, the vocals carry a sharp edge, akin to a storybook character concealing a blade: "Gold medal in acting like a scoundrel / You've won the trophy of disappointment."
An Opulent Banquet for the Ears
This album represents popular music on a grand level, an ambitious grasp for capital-A artistry in an era of looming AI-generated blankness. It rejects self-absorption for sublime elevation, crafting a dramatic spectacle that masterfully manages its own built-in excess. It is a deep well of buried treasure that requires patience to fully explore but doesn't feels like a chore. Where some major releases of the year seemed like feasting on scraps, Lux offers a sumptuous banquet where the guests at it, perhaps intoxicated on sacred wine, flutter between discussions about ancient saints, the profound sensation of heartbreaking grief, and shared gossip about useless men. In essence, it's a modern-day theatrical production from pop's truly restlessly inventive practitioner.
