At first glance, Lux could seem closer to a challenging scholarly examination rather than the latest popular music record by an artist whose previous single featured a global pop icon. Divided across four distinct sections and sung in thirteen tongues, this is a breathtaking symphonic opus that delves into feminine mystery, spiritual transcendence, and bodily transformation, often via the perspective of different saintly figures. The end of a love affair—a theme treated with grounded openness elsewhere—is launched upwards on this record, supported by the lush sound of a full orchestra and input from a Pulitzer-winning composer among an extensive list of collaborators. The pure daring by itself renders the efforts of other artists seem quite modest.
Transcending Scholarly Exercise
That this album manages to avoid overly intellectual chin-stroking feels nothing short of miraculous, with full credit belonging to Rosalía. While it's not the first time album to fuse historical sounds and the present, the ambitions are much greater here, with the balancing act more pronounced. What truly raises her fourth release, beyond its complex melodies, rich compositions, and engrained theatricality, is a core spirit of joy. Similar to the iconic artist at her height, there is a wondrous sense to Rosalía's voice that pulls the listener into its whirlwind. Even when she is tearing your heart in two, the listener nevertheless want to be alongside her for the ride.
A Prime Moment of Joy
This exuberant spirit shines clearly on a stunning Italian song about Saint Clare. It bathes in a sorrowful melancholy over more than four moments. Then, all the music falls silent, to reveal we hear a spontaneous giggle followed by a comment prior to a comically exaggerated string crescendo thuds in like comedic force. The song then segues to the frenetic track featuring galloping strings, a powerful choir, and a cameo appearance from the artist herself.
"The magic with Lux is that you rarely quite know—or even wish to predict—what it is going to next."
Almost every track concludes in a completely different place than where it began. A track examines the transient nature of fame with a featherlight orchestration before collapsing in electronic chaos. Another, a cut that recalls the artist's earlier rhythmic style begins off moody and brooding, with menacing vocals, until sudden traditional rhythms and a heavenly choir arrive to soften its jagged edges.
The Bridge Of Art & Pop
A key achievement of the album involves navigating the gap between bold innovation and broad accessibility. It is no coincidence that the album has achieved the artist's first release to crack the upper reaches of major markets: at its core a suite of utterly catchy pop songs. One track performed entirely in English swells around a refrain that seems to collect increasingly infectious melodies while it spins skyward. This trick gets repeated by a different powerful ballad that grows and constricts, intertwining multiple tunes like a complex weave.
- A waltz-like song charms with its jaunty, theatrical flair and an anthemic chorus.
- Lyrically, it shares the pop culture honesty of contemporary heartbreak anthems, lambasting an ex- partner described as an "emotional terrorist".
- Throughout the album, the singing have a sharp smile, like a fairy-tale figure hiding a blade: "Gold medal in being a scoundrel / You have the podium of letdown."
An Opulent Banquet for the Soul
This album represents pop on a maximalist level, an ambitious grasp for capital-A artistry in an era of looming artificial sameness. It rejects self-absorption for glorious elevation, crafting an over-the-top spectacle that masterfully controls its own inherent excess. This is an abundant well of hidden gems that takes patience to fully mine but never feels like a chore. While some major releases of the year seemed like feasting on meal, this record offers a sumptuous feast at which the guests around it, some intoxicated on sacred drink, flit from conversations about historical figures, the galvanizing sensation of soul-shattering sadness, and shared stories about useless men. In essence, it's a modern-day theatrical production from music's truly restlessly inventive visionary.
