On the surface, this album might appear closer to an arduous university quiz rather than a new popular music project from an artist whose previous hit featured a global pop icon. Broken into 4 distinct parts and sung in 13 tongues, we have a breathtaking orchestral-influenced opus investigating feminine mystery, spiritual ascent, and corporal transformation, frequently through the lens of different saintly figures. The dissolution of a relationship—a topic treated with raw openness elsewhere—is launched upwards here, carried by the constant sound of a major symphony orchestra and work from a Pulitzer-winning composer within an extensive list of collaborators. The pure ambition alone makes the work of contemporary pop stars seem quite small.
Transcending Academic Pretense
That this album manages to escape dry academic posturing feels nothing short of miraculous, and full credit belonging to the artist. Although it's not the first time album to fuse historical sounds with modern styles, the stakes feel much higher here, and the balancing act far more pronounced. The element that really elevates her fourth release, beyond its multilayered tunes, rich compositions, and inherent drama, proves to be a core sense of playfulness. Similar to the legendary Björk during her height, there is a captivating quality to Rosalía's voice that pulls the listener up in its tornado. Even when she's breaking your heart apart, the listener still want to be right there for the ride.
A Signature Moment of Exuberance
This playful spirit comes forth brightly on the stunning Italian ballad about a saint. It bathes in a string-drenched melancholy over several moments. Suddenly, all the music drops silent, and we hear a gleeful giggle followed by a comment prior to a comically exaggerated string crescendo crashes in like comedic impact. The song then segues into the wild track featuring galloping orchestration, an imposing choral group, and a surprise role from the artist herself.
"The magic of Lux lies in you never quite know—nor want to predict—what you is going to next."
Almost each track ends in a completely different point from how it started. One moment explores the fleeting nature of celebrity over a delicate orchestration only to disintegrating in digital cacophony. Another, a cut echoing the artist's previous rhythmic work starts off moody and sinister, featuring prowling beats, until fluttering flamenco rhythms and a heavenly chorus enter to soften its jagged corners.
The Bridge Between Art and Pop
A key balancing act of the album involves navigating the gap of radical innovation and broad appeal. It is no surprise that the album has achieved the artist's first work to break into the upper reaches of key charts: at its core a collection of truly undeniable hits. One track performed entirely in the English language swells around a chorus that seems to collect increasingly nagging melodies while it spirals skyward. That feat gets repeated by another powerful ballad that grows and constricts, weaving multiple tunes as a complex weave.
- A dance-infused song charms via its playful, theatrical flair and an anthemic hook.
- In its words, it aligns with pop culture honesty of other heartbreak anthems, lambasting a former partner described as an "psychological bully".
- Throughout the album, the singing have a sharp smile, akin to a storybook character hiding a knife: "Gold medal in acting like a scoundrel / You've won the trophy of disappointment."
An Opulent Feast for the Soul
Lux represents pop on a maximalist scale, an ambitious reach for high Art in an era of impending artificial sameness. It eschews self-absorption for sublime transcendence, crafting an over-the-top spectacle that skillfully manages its own inherent excess. It is a deep well of buried gems that takes time to completely mine but never seem like a chore. Where some big pop albums of the year felt like feasting on meal, Lux is a sumptuous banquet where the characters at it, some intoxicated on holy wine, flutter from conversations about historical figures, the profound feeling of soul-shattering grief, and common stories about hopeless men. It is a contemporary musical from music's truly endlessly creative visionary.
