At first glance, this album may look closer to an arduous academic challenge than a new popular music project by a musician whose previous hit was a collaboration with an international pop icon. Broken into four separate sections and voiced in 13 languages, we have a dizzying symphonic opus that delves into female mystique, spiritual ascent, and bodily change, frequently by way of the lens of different female saints. The end of a romance—a topic handled with raw openness elsewhere—is launched skyward here, supported by the constant presence of a full symphony orchestra and contributions from a Pulitzer-winning songwriter among an extensive roll call of collaborators. The pure daring alone renders the work of contemporary artists appear quite small.
Rising Above Scholarly Pretense
That this album manages to escape overly academic chin-stroking is nothing short of miraculous, and sole credit belonging to Rosalía. Although this is not the first time album to blend historical sounds and the present, the scale feel much greater here, and the tightrope walk far more pronounced. The element that truly elevates her fourth release, beyond its multilayered melodies, dense compositions, and engrained drama, is an essential sense of joy. Much like the legendary Björk during her height, there is a wondrous sense to the vocalist's singing that pulls you into its whirlwind. Even when she is tearing your heart in two, you still want to be alongside her through the ride.
A Signature Moment of Exuberance
This exuberant energy shines clearly on the stirring piano-led ballad inspired by a saint. It bathes in a sorrowful melancholy over several moments. Then, everything drops away, and we hear a spontaneous giggle followed by a comment before a comically exaggerated orchestral crescendo crashes down like comedic force. The song then shifts to the frenetic single featuring galloping orchestration, an imposing choral group, and a surprise role from the artist herself.
"The charm of this album is that the listener rarely quite understand—or even wish to predict—where it will go next."
Almost every track finishes at a totally distinct place from how it began. A track examines the transient nature of fame with a featherlight symphony before collapsing in digital chaos. Elsewhere, a song that recalls the artist's earlier rhythmic style begins off dark and brooding, featuring prowling beats, before fluttering flamenco rhythms and a heavenly chorus enter to soften its rough edges.
The Bridge Between Experiment & Pop
Another crucial achievement on the album involves navigating the gap of radical experimentation and broad appeal. This is little coincidence that the album has become her first release to crack the upper reaches of major markets: its heart contains a collection of utterly catchy hits. One track sung entirely in English builds on a refrain that feels to collect more and more infectious melodies while it spirals upward. This feat is repeated by another powerful track that expands and contracts, weaving layered melodies like an intricate tapestry.
- A waltz-like song seduces via its jaunty, theatrical flair and an anthemic chorus.
- In its words, it aligns with pop culture honesty of other breakup songs, eviscerating an ex- partner labeled an "emotional terrorist".
- Across these tracks, the vocals have a sharp edge, akin to a fairy-tale figure concealing a knife: "Top prize in being a motherfucker / You've the podium of letdown."
A Maximalist Feast for the Soul
This album is popular music on a maximalist scale, a hungry grasp for high artistry in an era of impending artificial sameness. It eschews self-absorption for glorious elevation, creating an over-the-top spectacle that skillfully manages its own inherent excess. It is a deep source of buried treasure that requires patience to fully mine but never feels like a chore. While some big pop albums of the year felt like feasting on meal, Lux is a lavish banquet at which the guests around the table, some intoxicated on sacred wine, flutter between conversations about historical figures, the profound sensation of soul-shattering grief, and shared stories about hopeless men. In essence, it's a contemporary musical from pop's most restlessly inventive visionary.
