At first glance, this work might appear more like a challenging scholarly quiz than a new pop project from an artist who just had a previous single was a collaboration with a global K-pop icon. Broken into 4 different sections and performed in 13 languages, it is a breathtaking symphonic work that delves into female mystery, spiritual transcendence, and bodily transformation, frequently through the prism of various women saints. The dissolution of a romance—a theme handled with raw openness elsewhere—is shot upwards on this record, buoyed by the lush sound of a major symphony orchestra and input from an award-winning composer among a vast roll call of contributors. Its sheer ambition by itself renders the work of contemporary artists seem quite small.
Rising Above Academic Exercise
That Lux succeeds in escape dry academic chin-stroking feels almost miraculous, with complete credit belonging to Rosalía. While it's not her first album to blend the past and the present, the scale are much higher here, and the tightrope walk far more pronounced. The element that truly elevates her fourth release, outside of its multilayered melodies, rich arrangements, and inherent theatricality, proves to be an essential spirit of fun. Much like the legendary Björk at her peak, you find a wondrous quality to the vocalist's singing which sweeps you up in its whirlwind. When she's tearing hearts apart, you still want to be right there for the journey.
A Prime Moment of Exuberance
This playful spirit comes forth brightly on a stunning piano-led song inspired by a saint. It luxuriates in a sorrowful whirlpool over more than four moments. Suddenly, everything falls silent, to reveal there's a gleeful giggle followed by a comment prior to a comically over-the-top orchestral surge crashes down like comedic impact. The song then shifts into the wild single featuring galloping strings, a powerful choir, and a surprise role from the artist herself.
"The charm with this album is that the listener rarely exactly understand—nor want to know—where it will go next."
Nearly every track ends at a totally different place from how it started. A track examines the transient nature of fame over a delicate orchestration only to disintegrating in digital chaos. Another, a song that recalls the artist's earlier rhythmic style starts out moody and sinister, with menacing beats, before fluttering traditional handclaps and a heavenly chorus enter to soften the song's jagged edges.
The Bridge Of Experiment & Accessibility
Another crucial balancing act of the album is straddling the line of bold innovation and mainstream appeal. This is no coincidence that the album has become the artist's first release to break into the Top 5 of major markets: at its core a suite of truly undeniable pop songs. One track sung primarily in English swells around a chorus that feels to collect more and more nagging melodies as it spins upward. This feat is echoed by a different powerful ballad that expands and constricts, weaving multiple melodies like a complex weave.
- A dance-infused song seduces with its playful, theatrical flair and an anthemic chorus.
- In its words, it aligns with cultural impact of other breakup anthems, eviscerating an ex- lover described as an "psychological terrorist".
- Across the album, the vocals have a sharp edge, like a storybook figure concealing a blade: "Gold medal in being a scoundrel / You've the podium of letdown."
A Maximalist Banquet for the Ears
Lux is pop on a maximalist level, an ambitious grasp for capital-A Art in an era of impending artificial blankness. It rejects solipsism for glorious elevation, crafting a dramatic drama that skillfully manages its own built-in excess. It is an abundant source of hidden gems that requires time to completely explore but doesn't seem like a chore. While some big pop albums of the year seemed like feasting on scraps, Lux is a sumptuous feast at which the characters around the table, some tipsy on sacred wine, flit between discussions about historical saints, the galvanizing feeling of heartbreaking grief, and shared stories about useless partners. In essence, it's a modern-day theatrical production from music's truly restlessly inventive practitioner.
