Initially, this work could seem more like an arduous university examination than a new pop record by an artist who just had a last single was a collaboration with an international pop star. Broken into four different movements and voiced in 13 tongues, it is a head-spinning orchestral-influenced opus that delves into female mystique, spiritual transcendence, and bodily change, frequently via the lens of various women saints. The end of a romance—a topic handled with grounded openness elsewhere—soars skyward here, buoyed by the lush presence of a major symphony orchestra and work from an award-winning songwriter within a vast list of collaborators. The pure daring alone makes the work of contemporary artists appear quite laughable.
Transcending Scholarly Exercise
The fact that Lux manages to transcend dry intellectual posturing is almost a miracle, with complete credit going to Rosalía. While it's not her first project to blend the past with the present, its ambitions feel much greater here, and the tightrope walk more precarious. What truly raises her fourth release, beyond its multilayered tunes, dense compositions, and engrained theatricality, is a core sense of joy. Much like the legendary Björk during her height, there is a captivating sense to Rosalía's singing which sweeps the listener into its tornado. Even when she's tearing your heart apart, you still want to stay alongside her for the ride.
A Prime Example of Joy
That exuberant spirit shines brightly on a stirring Italian ballad inspired by a saint. It bathes in a sorrowful melancholy for more than four minutes. Suddenly, everything drops away, to reveal there's a gleeful laugh and a declaration before a hilariously over-the-top string surge crashes down with cartoonish impact. The track then segues into the wild single driven by galloping strings, an imposing choral group, and a cameo role from the artist Björk.
"The magic of Lux lies in you rarely exactly know—or even want to know—where you is going to next."
Almost every song finishes in a totally different place from how it began. A track explores the fleeting trappings of fame with a delicate symphony before collapsing in digital chaos. Another, a cut echoing her earlier trap-infused work starts out moody and brooding, featuring menacing vocals, before fluttering traditional rhythms and a heavenly choir enter to smooth the song's rough corners.
The Bridge Between Experiment and Accessibility
Another crucial balancing act of Lux involves navigating the line of bold experimentation and mainstream accessibility. This is little surprise that the album has achieved the artist's highest-charting work to crack the Top 5 of major markets: its heart contains a suite of utterly catchy pop songs. One track sung primarily in English swells on a refrain that seems to gather increasingly infectious melodies while it spins skyward. This feat is echoed by another powerful track that expands and constricts, weaving layered melodies as a complex tapestry.
- A waltz-like song charms with its jaunty, theatrical flair and a chant-along hook.
- In its words, it shares the pop culture honesty of other heartbreak anthems, lambasting a former partner described as an "psychological terrorist".
- Across the album, the singing have a sharp edge, akin to a storybook figure hiding a blade: "Gold medal in being a motherfucker / You have won the trophy of letdown."
A Maximalist Banquet for the Ears
Lux represents pop on a maximalist scale, an ambitious grasp for capital-A artistry in an era of impending artificial sameness. It eschews self-absorption for glorious transcendence, creating an over-the-top drama that masterfully manages its own built-in excess. It is an abundant source of hidden gems that requires time to completely mine but never feels like hard work. Where some big releases of the year seemed like a meager meal, Lux is a sumptuous feast at which the guests around the table, some intoxicated on holy wine, flutter between discussions about ancient saints, the profound sensation of heartbreaking sadness, and shared gossip about hopeless partners. In essence, it's a modern-day theatrical production from music's truly restlessly creative visionary.
