Initially, this work may look more like an arduous scholarly examination than a new popular music project by an artist whose previous single was a collaboration with an international pop star. Split across 4 distinct movements and sung in 13 tongues, we have a breathtaking symphonic opus exploring feminine mystery, spiritual ascent, and bodily change, often by way of the prism of different women saints. The dissolution of a relationship—a topic treated with raw honesty elsewhere—soars skyward here, buoyed by the lush presence of a major symphony orchestra and work from an award-winning composer within a long list of contributors. Its sheer ambition by itself renders the efforts of other artists appear quite small.
Rising Above Academic Exercise
The fact that this album succeeds in escape dry academic chin-stroking is almost a miracle, and sole credit belonging to Rosalía. Although this is not her first album to fuse the past with modern styles, the scale are far greater here, and the tightrope walk far more dramatic. The element that truly elevates her fourth release, beyond its complex tunes, rich arrangements, and inherent theatricality, is an essential sense of playfulness. Similar to the iconic Björk at her height, there is a wondrous sense to the vocalist's voice which sweeps the listener up in its whirlwind. Even when she is tearing hearts in two, the listener nevertheless desire to be alongside her through the journey.
A Prime Moment of Joy
This playful spirit comes forth clearly during a stunning piano-led song inspired by a saint. It bathes in a string-drenched melancholy over several minutes. Suddenly, all the music falls silent, to reveal we hear a spontaneous giggle followed by a declaration before a comically exaggerated string surge thuds in with comedic impact. The track then shifts into the frenetic track featuring galloping strings, a powerful choral group, and a cameo appearance from none other than herself.
"The charm of this album is that the listener never quite know—nor want to predict—what you will go next."
Nearly every track finishes at a completely distinct place from how it started. A track examines the fleeting trappings of celebrity over a featherlight orchestration before disintegrating in electronic chaos. Elsewhere, a cut that recalls her earlier rhythmic work begins off moody and brooding, featuring prowling vocals, until sudden traditional handclaps and a heavenly chorus enter to smooth the song's jagged edges.
The Bridge Of Art and Pop
Another crucial balancing act on the album involves straddling the line between bold innovation and broad appeal. It is no surprise that the album has become the artist's highest-charting work to break into the Top 5 of key charts: at its core a collection of utterly catchy hits. A song sung primarily in the English language swells around a refrain that seems to gather increasingly infectious hooks while it spins skyward. That trick gets echoed by a different expansive track that grows and contracts, weaving layered tunes as an intricate tapestry.
- A dance-infused song charms via its jaunty, Disney-adjacent drama and a chant-along hook.
- In its words, it aligns the cultural honesty of contemporary heartbreak anthems, eviscerating an ex- partner labeled an "emotional terrorist".
- Throughout the album, the singing have a painted-on smile, akin to a fairy-tale character hiding a knife: "Top prize in being a scoundrel / You've the podium of letdown."
An Opulent Feast for the Soul
This album is pop on a maximalist level, an ambitious grasp for capital-A Art in an era of impending AI-generated blankness. It rejects solipsism for sublime transcendence, creating a dramatic drama that masterfully controls its own built-in excess. It is a deep source of buried treasure that takes patience to completely explore but never seem like a chore. While some major pop albums of the year seemed like feasting on meal, Lux offers a lavish banquet where the guests at the table, some tipsy on holy drink, flit between discussions about historical saints, the profound feeling of heartbreaking sadness, and common gossip about useless men. It is a contemporary theatrical production from pop's most endlessly creative practitioner.
