At first glance, this work could seem closer to a difficult university examination than a new popular music album from an artist who just had a last hit featured a global K-pop star. Split across 4 separate movements and performed in thirteen languages, this is a dizzying orchestral-influenced work that delves into female mystery, religious ascent, and physical change, often by way of the lens of different saintly figures. The dissolution of a relationship—a topic handled with grounded openness on another major 2025 album—is launched heavenward here, buoyed by the lush sound of a major symphony orchestra and work from a Pulitzer-winning songwriter within a long list of collaborators. The pure ambition by itself makes the work of contemporary artists seem rather small.
Rising Above Scholarly Exercise
That this album succeeds in escape overly intellectual posturing is nearly a miracle, with full credit going to Rosalía. While it's not her first album to fuse the past and modern styles, its ambitions are far greater on Lux, with the tightrope walk more pronounced. The element that truly raises her fourth album, outside of its multilayered melodies, rich compositions, and engrained theatricality, is an essential sense of joy. Much like the iconic Björk during her height, there is a captivating sense to the vocalist's singing that pulls you up in its whirlwind. Even when she is breaking hearts in two, you still desire to stay right there through the journey.
A Signature Moment of Joy
This exuberant energy shines brightly on a stirring piano-led ballad inspired by a saint. It bathes in a sorrowful melancholy for several minutes. Suddenly, everything falls silent, to reveal there's a gleeful giggle and a declaration before a comically over-the-top string surge thuds down with comedic impact. The track then segues to the frenetic single driven by racing orchestration, an imposing choir, and a cameo role from the artist Björk.
"The magic with this album is that you rarely quite understand—nor wish to predict—what it is going next."
Almost each song finishes at a completely different place than where it began. A track explores the fleeting nature of celebrity over a featherlight symphony before disintegrating into digital chaos. Elsewhere, a song that recalls her earlier rhythmic style starts out moody and sinister, featuring menacing vocals, until fluttering flamenco handclaps and a heavenly choir arrive to soften its jagged corners.
The Balance Between Experiment & Accessibility
A key achievement on the album involves straddling the gap between bold innovation and mainstream accessibility. It is no surprise that the album has achieved her first release to break into the Top 5 of major charts: at its core a suite of truly catchy hits. One track performed entirely in the English language swells on a chorus that feels to collect increasingly nagging hooks as it spirals skyward. This trick is echoed by another powerful ballad that grows and constricts, weaving multiple tunes like a complex tapestry.
- A dance-infused song charms via its jaunty, theatrical flair and an anthemic hook.
- Lyrically, it aligns the pop culture honesty of other heartbreak songs, lambasting a former lover described as an "psychological terrorist".
- Across the album, the vocals have a painted-on smile, like a storybook character hiding a knife: "Top prize in acting like a scoundrel / You've won the trophy of disappointment."
An Opulent Feast for the Soul
Lux represents popular music on a grand scale, an ambitious reach for high artistry amid of impending artificial sameness. It rejects solipsism in favor of sublime transcendence, creating an over-the-top drama that masterfully controls its inherent ridiculousness. This is an abundant well of hidden treasure that takes time to completely mine but never seem like hard work. Where some major pop albums of the year seemed like a meager meal, this record is a sumptuous feast at which the guests at it, perhaps tipsy on holy wine, flutter from discussions about ancient figures, the profound feeling of soul-shattering sadness, and shared gossip about hopeless partners. In essence, it's a contemporary theatrical production from music's most restlessly creative practitioner.
