On the surface, this album might appear more like a difficult university quiz rather than a new pop record from an artist whose previous hit was a collaboration with an international K-pop icon. Split into four separate sections and sung in 13 languages, we have a head-spinning orchestral-influenced opus that delves into female mystique, religious ascent, and physical change, often by way of the lens of different saintly figures. The dissolution of a romance—a theme handled with raw honesty elsewhere—is launched heavenward on this record, carried by the constant presence of a full orchestra and work from a Pulitzer-winning songwriter within a vast list of collaborators. Its sheer audacity alone renders the efforts of other pop stars appear rather small.
Rising Above Scholarly Exercise
The fact that this album succeeds in transcend overly intellectual posturing is almost miraculous, with full credit belonging to the artist. While this is not her first album to fuse historical sounds with the present, its ambitions are much higher here, with the balancing act more dramatic. The element that really raises her fourth album, outside of its complex tunes, dense arrangements, and inherent theatricality, proves to be an essential spirit of joy. Much like the legendary artist at her height, there is a captivating sense to Rosalía's voice that pulls you up in its whirlwind. Even when she is tearing hearts in two, you still desire to be right there through the ride.
A Prime Example of Exuberance
This exuberant energy shines brightly on the stirring Italian song about Saint Clare. It luxuriates in a string-drenched melancholy for several minutes. Suddenly, everything drops away, to reveal there's a gleeful laugh and a comment before a hilariously exaggerated orchestral surge crashes in with cartoonish impact. The song immediately shifts to the wild track featuring racing strings, a powerful choir, and a cameo appearance from none other than herself.
"The charm with this album lies in you never exactly understand—nor want to predict—what you will go next."
Nearly each song concludes in a completely distinct point from where it started. One moment examines the fleeting trappings of fame with a featherlight symphony only to disintegrating into electronic cacophony. Another, a cut echoing the artist's previous rhythmic work begins out moody and brooding, with prowling beats, until fluttering flamenco rhythms and an angelic choir enter to soften its rough corners.
The Balance Of Art and Pop
A key balancing act on the album involves navigating the gap of radical experimentation and mainstream appeal. It is little surprise that the album has achieved the artist's first work to crack the upper reaches of major charts: its heart contains a collection of utterly undeniable pop songs. One track performed entirely in English builds around a chorus that seems to collect more and more infectious melodies as it spirals upward. That feat is repeated by a different expansive ballad that expands and constricts, weaving multiple tunes as an intricate weave.
- A dance-infused song charms with its playful, theatrical drama and an anthemic hook.
- In its words, it aligns the pop culture honesty of other heartbreak songs, eviscerating an ex- lover described as an "psychological terrorist".
- Across these tracks, the singing carry a painted-on smile, akin to a storybook character concealing a blade: "Top prize in acting like a scoundrel / You've won the trophy of disappointment."
An Opulent Feast for the Ears
Lux represents pop on a maximalist level, an ambitious grasp for capital-A Art in an era of looming artificial sameness. It eschews solipsism in favor of sublime transcendence, crafting an over-the-top spectacle that masterfully manages its inherent ridiculousness. It is an abundant well of buried treasure that requires patience to fully mine but never feels like a chore. Where other big releases of the year felt like a meager scraps, Lux is a lavish feast where the characters around the table, some intoxicated on holy drink, flit between discussions about historical figures, the galvanizing sensation of heartbreaking sadness, and shared gossip about useless partners. In essence, it's a contemporary theatrical production from pop's most restlessly inventive practitioner.
