Initially, Lux could seem more like a difficult university quiz rather than the latest popular music project from a musician who just had a previous hit was a collaboration with an international pop star. Divided across four separate sections and performed in 13 languages, this is a breathtaking symphonic opus that delves into female mystery, spiritual transcendence, and physical transformation, often via the prism of different women saints. The end of a relationship—a topic handled with raw honesty elsewhere—soars upwards here, supported by the constant presence of a major symphony orchestra and work from a Pulitzer-winning songwriter within an extensive roll call of collaborators. Its sheer daring alone makes the efforts of contemporary artists seem rather laughable.
Rising Above Scholarly Pretense
The fact that Lux manages to avoid dry intellectual posturing feels nothing short of miraculous, and sole praise going to Rosalía. While it's not her first album to fuse the past and modern styles, the scale are far higher here, with the tightrope walk more precarious. The element that truly elevates this fourth release, outside of its multilayered melodies, dense arrangements, and inherent drama, is an essential sense of joy. Much like the legendary Björk at her height, there is a captivating quality to the vocalist's singing that pulls you into its whirlwind. Even when she's breaking hearts in two, you still desire to be alongside her for the journey.
A Signature Example of Exuberance
This exuberant spirit comes forth clearly during the stirring Italian ballad inspired by Saint Clare. It luxuriates in a string-drenched whirlpool over several minutes. Suddenly, all the music falls away, and there's a gleeful laugh followed by a declaration before a comically exaggerated orchestral surge thuds down like cartoonish force. The track then segues to the frenetic single driven by racing strings, an imposing choir, and a surprise appearance from the artist Björk.
"The charm of Lux is that you rarely exactly understand—nor wish to know—what it is going to next."
Almost every song ends in a completely distinct point than how it started. A track examines the transient nature of fame over a delicate orchestration only to collapsing into electronic cacophony. Another, a cut that recalls her previous trap-infused work starts out dark and sinister, featuring prowling vocals, until fluttering flamenco rhythms and an angelic choir arrive to smooth the song's jagged corners.
The Balance Of Experiment and Pop
Another crucial balancing act of the album involves navigating the line between bold innovation and mainstream accessibility. This is little coincidence that the album has become the artist's first release to break into the Top 5 of major charts: at its core a suite of utterly undeniable pop songs. A song sung primarily in English builds on a refrain that seems to gather more and more nagging melodies as it spins skyward. That trick is echoed by a different powerful ballad that expands and constricts, weaving layered tunes as an intricate weave.
- A dance-infused number charms via its jaunty, Disney-adjacent flair and an anthemic chorus.
- Lyrically, it shares with pop culture honesty of contemporary heartbreak anthems, lambasting a former lover described as an "emotional bully".
- Throughout the album, the singing carry a painted-on smile, akin to a storybook figure concealing a knife: "Top prize in being a motherfucker / You've won the trophy of letdown."
An Opulent Feast for the Soul
This album is popular music on a grand scale, a hungry grasp for capital-A artistry amid of impending artificial sameness. It rejects solipsism in favor of sublime transcendence, creating an over-the-top spectacle that skillfully controls its inherent ridiculousness. This is an abundant source of hidden gems that requires time to fully explore but never feels like hard work. Where some major releases of the year felt like a meager meal, this record offers a lavish feast at which the characters around it, perhaps tipsy on sacred wine, flit from conversations about ancient saints, the galvanizing feeling of heartbreaking sadness, and shared gossip about hopeless partners. In essence, it's a contemporary theatrical production from pop's most endlessly inventive practitioner.
