At first glance, Lux could seem more like an arduous academic quiz than a new pop album from a musician who just had a last single featured a global K-pop star. Divided into four separate sections and voiced in thirteen tongues, it is a breathtaking orchestral-influenced album that delves into female mystery, religious transcendence, and corporal transformation, frequently by way of the lens of various women saints. The dissolution of a romance—a topic treated with grounded openness elsewhere—is shot skyward on this record, carried by the lush sound of a major symphony orchestra and contributions from an award-winning songwriter within a long list of contributors. The pure ambition alone makes the work of other pop stars appear rather laughable.
Transcending Academic Pretense
The fact that Lux manages to escape overly intellectual posturing is nothing short of a miracle, and full praise belonging to the artist. Although it's not the first time album to fuse the past with modern styles, its stakes feel far greater on Lux, and the tightrope walk far more pronounced. What really raises her fourth release, beyond its multilayered melodies, rich compositions, and engrained drama, is a core spirit of playfulness. Much like the legendary artist at her height, there is a captivating quality to Rosalía's voice that pulls you up in its tornado. When she's tearing hearts apart, the listener nevertheless want to stay alongside her through the journey.
A Prime Example of Exuberance
That exuberant spirit shines brightly during the stunning Italian song inspired by Saint Clare. It luxuriates in a string-drenched whirlpool for several moments. Then, all the music falls silent, and there's a spontaneous laugh followed by a comment prior to a hilariously exaggerated orchestral surge crashes down with comedic impact. The track immediately segues into the frenetic single featuring racing strings, an imposing choir, and a surprise role from none other than Björk.
"The magic of Lux lies in the listener rarely quite understand—or even want to predict—what you is going to next."
Nearly every track ends at a totally distinct place from where it started. One moment explores the fleeting trappings of fame with a featherlight orchestration before disintegrating in electronic cacophony. Elsewhere, a song echoing the artist's previous rhythmic style begins out moody and brooding, featuring menacing vocals, before sudden traditional rhythms and a heavenly chorus arrive to smooth the song's rough corners.
The Bridge Between Experiment and Pop
Another crucial balancing act on the album involves navigating the line between bold innovation and mainstream accessibility. This is no surprise that it has achieved the artist's highest-charting release to crack the Top 5 of major markets: at its core a collection of utterly catchy hits. One track sung entirely in English swells around a chorus that seems to collect increasingly nagging hooks while it spins skyward. This trick is echoed by another powerful ballad that expands and constricts, intertwining multiple tunes as an intricate tapestry.
- A dance-infused number charms via its jaunty, theatrical flair and an anthemic chorus.
- In its words, it shares with pop culture impact of contemporary heartbreak songs, eviscerating a former lover described as an "emotional bully".
- Across the album, the vocals carry a sharp edge, akin to a fairy-tale character concealing a knife: "Gold medal in acting like a motherfucker / You have the podium of disappointment."
A Maximalist Banquet for the Ears
Lux is popular music on a maximalist scale, a hungry grasp for capital-A Art amid of impending artificial blankness. It rejects self-absorption for sublime elevation, creating an over-the-top drama that masterfully controls its own inherent excess. This is a deep source of buried gems that requires patience to completely mine but doesn't feels like hard work. Where other major releases of the year felt like feasting on meal, this record is a sumptuous feast at which the characters at it, some tipsy on holy drink, flutter between discussions about historical figures, the profound sensation of heartbreaking grief, and shared stories about useless men. In essence, it's a modern-day theatrical production from pop's truly restlessly inventive practitioner.
