On the surface, this album could seem closer to an arduous scholarly quiz rather than the latest pop album from an artist who just had a previous single was a collaboration with a global pop star. Broken into four separate sections and performed in thirteen languages, it is a breathtaking orchestral-influenced work investigating feminine mystique, spiritual transcendence, and corporal change, frequently by way of the perspective of various saintly figures. The end of a love affair—a theme treated with grounded honesty elsewhere—soars heavenward here, supported by the constant presence of a full orchestra and contributions from an award-winning songwriter within a long list of collaborators. Its sheer daring by itself makes the efforts of other artists look quite small.
Transcending Academic Pretense
The fact that Lux succeeds in transcend dry academic posturing is nothing short of a miracle, with complete credit belonging to Rosalía. Although it's not her first project to fuse the past with modern styles, its scale are much greater on Lux, and the tightrope walk far more precarious. What really raises her fourth release, outside of its multilayered tunes, dense arrangements, and inherent theatricality, is an essential sense of fun. Much like the iconic artist at her height, you find a captivating quality to Rosalía's voice that pulls the listener into its whirlwind. When she's breaking hearts in two, the listener still desire to stay alongside her for the ride.
A Prime Moment of Exuberance
This playful spirit shines brightly on a stunning Italian ballad about a saint. It luxuriates in a string-drenched melancholy over more than four minutes. Suddenly, everything falls away, and we hear a gleeful giggle and a declaration before a hilariously over-the-top orchestral surge crashes down like cartoonish force. The song then segues into the wild single driven by galloping strings, a powerful choral group, and a surprise appearance from none other than Björk.
"The charm of this album lies in you rarely exactly understand—or even want to predict—what you will go to next."
Nearly each song concludes in a completely different place than where it started. A track examines the transient trappings of celebrity over a delicate symphony only to collapsing into digital chaos. Elsewhere, a song echoing her earlier trap-infused work begins off moody and sinister, featuring menacing vocals, before sudden traditional rhythms and a heavenly chorus arrive to soften its rough corners.
The Balance Of Experiment and Pop
Another crucial balancing act on Lux involves straddling the gap of radical experimentation and broad appeal. This is no surprise that the album has become her highest-charting release to break into the upper reaches of major charts: its heart contains a collection of truly catchy pop songs. A song sung primarily in the English language builds on a chorus that feels to gather increasingly infectious hooks as it spins skyward. That feat gets echoed on a different expansive ballad that expands and constricts, intertwining multiple tunes like an intricate tapestry.
- A dance-infused number seduces via its playful, theatrical flair and a chant-along chorus.
- In its words, it aligns with cultural honesty of contemporary heartbreak anthems, lambasting an ex- partner described as an "emotional bully".
- Throughout these tracks, the singing carry a sharp smile, like a storybook character hiding a blade: "Gold medal in being a scoundrel / You've won the trophy of disappointment."
An Opulent Feast for the Ears
Lux is pop on a grand level, a hungry reach for capital-A artistry amid of impending artificial sameness. It rejects solipsism in favor of glorious elevation, crafting a dramatic drama that masterfully manages its own inherent ridiculousness. This is an abundant source of hidden gems that takes patience to fully mine but doesn't seem like hard work. While some major pop albums of the year seemed like feasting on scraps, this record is a sumptuous banquet at which the characters at the table, some intoxicated on holy drink, flit from conversations about ancient figures, the galvanizing feeling of soul-shattering grief, and common gossip about useless men. It is a modern-day musical from pop's most restlessly inventive practitioner.
