At first glance, this work could seem closer to a difficult scholarly quiz than the latest pop album by a musician who just had a previous single was a collaboration with a global K-pop star. Split into 4 distinct movements and sung in 13 languages, it is a head-spinning orchestral-influenced work exploring feminine mystery, religious transcendence, and bodily transformation, often by way of the perspective of different female saints. The end of a romance—a theme handled with raw openness elsewhere—is shot upwards here, buoyed by the constant presence of a full orchestra and contributions from an award-winning songwriter within an extensive roll call of contributors. Its sheer ambition by itself makes the work of other artists look rather small.
Rising Above Scholarly Exercise
The fact that Lux succeeds in escape dry academic posturing feels almost miraculous, and full credit going to Rosalía. Although it's not her first album to alchemize historical sounds with the present, its stakes are far higher on Lux, with the balancing act far more pronounced. The element that truly raises this fourth release, outside of its complex melodies, rich arrangements, and inherent drama, proves to be an essential spirit of joy. Similar to the legendary Björk at her height, there is a captivating sense to Rosalía's voice which sweeps you up in its tornado. When she is breaking hearts apart, you still desire to stay alongside her for the ride.
A Signature Example of Joy
This exuberant spirit comes forth brightly during the stunning piano-led song about Saint Clare. It bathes in a string-drenched melancholy over more than four minutes. Suddenly, all the music falls away, and there's a gleeful giggle followed by a comment prior to a hilariously over-the-top orchestral crescendo thuds in with comedic force. The song immediately segues into the wild single driven by racing orchestration, a powerful choir, and a surprise role from the artist Björk.
"The charm with Lux lies in the listener never exactly know—or even wish to predict—where it is going next."
Nearly each song concludes in a completely different point from where it started. One moment explores the transient nature of celebrity with a delicate orchestration before disintegrating into electronic cacophony. Elsewhere, a song echoing her previous rhythmic style starts off moody and brooding, featuring menacing vocals, until fluttering traditional rhythms and a heavenly choir enter to smooth the song's jagged corners.
The Bridge Of Art & Pop
Another crucial achievement of the album is straddling the line between radical experimentation and broad appeal. This is little surprise that the album has become the artist's first release to crack the Top 5 of major charts: at its core a collection of truly undeniable hits. A song sung entirely in English swells on a chorus that feels to collect more and more infectious melodies while it spins upward. That trick is repeated on another powerful track that grows and constricts, intertwining multiple tunes like an intricate tapestry.
- A waltz-like number seduces with its jaunty, theatrical drama and an anthemic chorus.
- Lyrically, it aligns with cultural honesty of contemporary breakup anthems, eviscerating an ex- lover described as an "emotional terrorist".
- Throughout the album, the vocals carry a sharp edge, like a fairy-tale character concealing a knife: "Gold medal in acting like a scoundrel / You've the podium of letdown."
An Opulent Feast for the Ears
This album represents pop on a maximalist level, a hungry grasp for capital-A Art amid of impending artificial sameness. It eschews solipsism for sublime transcendence, creating an over-the-top spectacle that skillfully manages its built-in excess. It is an abundant well of buried gems that requires time to completely explore but doesn't feels like a chore. Where some big releases of the year felt like feasting on meal, this record is a sumptuous feast where the guests around the table, perhaps tipsy on holy drink, flutter between discussions about historical figures, the galvanizing sensation of soul-shattering sadness, and shared gossip about hopeless men. It is a modern-day musical from pop's truly restlessly creative practitioner.
