At first glance, Lux may look more like a challenging scholarly examination than a new pop project by a musician whose previous single featured an international pop star. Broken into 4 different parts and sung in thirteen tongues, this is a dizzying classical-tinged album exploring female mystery, spiritual ascent, and corporal change, often through the lens of various saintly figures. The dissolution of a relationship—a topic handled with raw honesty elsewhere—is launched heavenward here, supported by the constant sound of a full symphony orchestra and input from an award-winning composer within a vast list of collaborators. The pure ambition by itself renders the work of other artists appear rather small.
Rising Above Academic Exercise
The fact that this album manages to transcend dry academic chin-stroking is nothing short of miraculous, with sole praise going to Rosalía. Although it's not her first project to alchemize historical sounds and modern styles, its ambitions feel much greater here, and the balancing act more precarious. The element that truly raises this fourth release, outside of its multilayered melodies, dense compositions, and inherent theatricality, proves to be an essential spirit of playfulness. Similar to the legendary artist at her peak, you find a wondrous quality to Rosalía's voice which sweeps the listener into its whirlwind. When she's breaking your heart in two, the listener still want to stay right there through the ride.
A Prime Moment of Joy
This playful spirit comes forth brightly on a stirring Italian song inspired by a saint. It luxuriates in a sorrowful melancholy for several moments. Suddenly, all the music falls away, and there's a gleeful giggle followed by a comment prior to a comically exaggerated orchestral surge crashes in with comedic impact. The song then shifts into the frenetic single featuring racing strings, an imposing choir, and a surprise role from the artist herself.
"The magic of this album is that the listener rarely exactly know—or even want to predict—what you will go next."
Nearly every song ends at a totally different point than where it started. A track examines the fleeting trappings of celebrity with a featherlight orchestration only to collapsing into electronic cacophony. Another, a song that recalls the artist's previous trap-infused style begins out moody and sinister, with menacing vocals, before fluttering flamenco rhythms and an angelic chorus arrive to soften its rough corners.
The Bridge Between Experiment and Accessibility
Another crucial achievement on the album is straddling the gap between bold innovation and broad accessibility. It is no surprise that the album has become the artist's first work to break into the Top 5 of major markets: at its core a collection of utterly catchy pop songs. A song sung primarily in the English language swells around a refrain that feels to collect increasingly nagging hooks while it spins upward. That feat is repeated on another expansive track that grows and constricts, weaving layered melodies as an intricate weave.
- A dance-infused number charms via its jaunty, theatrical drama and an anthemic hook.
- Lyrically, it shares with cultural impact of other breakup songs, eviscerating an ex- lover described as an "psychological bully".
- Throughout the album, the singing have a sharp edge, akin to a storybook character hiding a blade: "Gold medal in acting like a scoundrel / You've the podium of disappointment."
A Maximalist Banquet for the Soul
Lux represents pop on a grand level, a hungry reach for capital-A Art amid of looming artificial sameness. It eschews self-absorption in favor of sublime elevation, crafting a dramatic spectacle that skillfully manages its built-in ridiculousness. This is a deep well of buried treasure that requires time to completely mine but never feels like hard work. While other major releases of the year seemed like a meager scraps, this record offers a sumptuous feast where the guests at the table, some intoxicated on sacred drink, flutter between conversations about historical figures, the galvanizing feeling of soul-shattering sadness, and common stories about useless partners. In essence, it's a contemporary theatrical production from pop's truly endlessly creative visionary.
