At first glance, this work might appear more like a difficult scholarly examination rather than a new popular music record from an artist who just had a last single featured an international K-pop icon. Divided into four different movements and voiced in thirteen tongues, it is a head-spinning symphonic work that delves into female mystery, religious ascent, and bodily change, frequently by way of the lens of different female saints. The end of a love affair—a theme treated with grounded openness on another major 2025 album—soars skyward here, carried by the lush presence of a major orchestra and contributions from an award-winning composer within a long list of collaborators. Its sheer audacity by itself makes the work of other artists seem rather modest.
Rising Above Scholarly Exercise
That Lux manages to transcend overly intellectual posturing feels nearly a miracle, and full praise belonging to Rosalía. Although this is not the first time album to fuse the past with the present, its ambitions feel far greater on Lux, with the tightrope walk more precarious. The element that truly elevates her fourth release, outside of its complex melodies, dense compositions, and inherent drama, proves to be an essential sense of fun. Much like the legendary Björk at her peak, there is a wondrous sense to Rosalía's voice that pulls the listener into its whirlwind. Even when she's tearing hearts apart, the listener still want to be right there for the journey.
A Signature Example of Joy
This exuberant spirit comes forth brightly during the stunning Italian song about Saint Clare. It bathes in a sorrowful melancholy for several minutes. Suddenly, all the music drops away, to reveal there's a gleeful giggle and a declaration before a hilariously exaggerated string surge thuds in like cartoonish force. The track then segues to the frenetic track driven by racing strings, a powerful choral group, and a cameo appearance from none other than herself.
"The magic with Lux is that you rarely quite know—or even want to know—what you will go to next."
Nearly each song ends at a completely different place than how it started. A track examines the transient nature of celebrity over a featherlight orchestration only to collapsing into digital chaos. Another, a cut that recalls her earlier rhythmic work starts out dark and brooding, featuring prowling beats, before sudden traditional rhythms and a heavenly chorus arrive to soften the song's jagged edges.
The Bridge Of Art & Accessibility
Another crucial balancing act of Lux is navigating the line of bold innovation and broad accessibility. It is no coincidence that the album has achieved the artist's highest-charting release to crack the upper reaches of major markets: its heart contains a collection of utterly catchy pop songs. One track performed primarily in the English language builds on a chorus that seems to gather more and more infectious hooks as it spirals skyward. This feat gets echoed by a different expansive track that grows and constricts, weaving layered melodies as an intricate tapestry.
- A dance-infused song charms via its jaunty, Disney-adjacent flair and a chant-along chorus.
- In its words, it aligns with pop culture honesty of other breakup songs, lambasting a former lover labeled an "emotional terrorist".
- Throughout these tracks, the vocals carry a sharp edge, akin to a fairy-tale character hiding a blade: "Top prize in being a scoundrel / You've won the trophy of disappointment."
An Opulent Banquet for the Soul
Lux represents popular music on a maximalist scale, an ambitious grasp for capital-A artistry in an era of impending artificial blankness. It eschews solipsism in favor of glorious elevation, crafting an over-the-top spectacle that skillfully controls its own inherent excess. It is a deep well of hidden treasure that requires time to fully mine but never seem like a chore. While some major pop albums of the year felt like a meager meal, this record is a sumptuous banquet where the characters around it, some tipsy on sacred drink, flit between discussions about ancient saints, the galvanizing feeling of soul-shattering grief, and common stories about useless partners. It is a contemporary musical from music's most endlessly inventive practitioner.
