On the surface, Lux might appear closer to a difficult academic examination than a new pop project by an artist whose previous hit featured an international K-pop star. Divided into 4 distinct sections and voiced in 13 languages, we have a head-spinning classical-tinged work investigating feminine mystique, religious transcendence, and bodily change, frequently through the lens of various women saints. The dissolution of a relationship—a topic treated with raw honesty elsewhere—is shot skyward here, supported by the lush sound of a full symphony orchestra and contributions from an award-winning composer among a long list of contributors. The pure ambition by itself makes the work of contemporary artists look quite laughable.
Transcending Academic Pretense
That this album manages to avoid overly intellectual posturing feels almost miraculous, and sole praise going to the artist. Although it's not the first time project to fuse historical sounds with the present, its ambitions are much higher on Lux, with the tightrope walk far more precarious. The element that really raises her fourth release, beyond its complex tunes, rich compositions, and inherent drama, proves to be a core sense of fun. Similar to the legendary Björk during her peak, there is a wondrous quality to Rosalía's voice which sweeps you into its tornado. When she's tearing hearts apart, the listener still want to be alongside her through the ride.
A Signature Example of Joy
That playful energy shines clearly during the stunning piano-led ballad inspired by a saint. It luxuriates in a string-drenched melancholy for more than four minutes. Suddenly, everything falls away, to reveal we hear a spontaneous laugh followed by a comment prior to a comically exaggerated string crescendo thuds in like cartoonish impact. The song immediately segues to the frenetic track featuring racing strings, a powerful choir, and a surprise appearance from the artist Björk.
"The magic of Lux is that you rarely exactly understand—nor want to know—where you is going to next."
Almost each track concludes in a totally different place than how it started. A track explores the transient trappings of celebrity over a delicate orchestration before collapsing in digital cacophony. Elsewhere, a cut echoing the artist's earlier rhythmic style starts off moody and brooding, with menacing beats, before fluttering traditional handclaps and an angelic choir arrive to soften its rough edges.
The Bridge Of Experiment & Pop
A key balancing act of Lux is straddling the line of radical innovation and broad accessibility. This is little coincidence that it has achieved the artist's highest-charting release to break into the Top 5 of major charts: its heart contains a suite of truly undeniable hits. A song performed entirely in English swells on a chorus that feels to gather increasingly nagging hooks as it spirals upward. That trick is echoed by another expansive ballad that expands and contracts, intertwining multiple melodies as an intricate weave.
- A dance-infused song charms via its playful, theatrical drama and an anthemic chorus.
- Lyrically, it aligns the pop culture honesty of contemporary breakup anthems, lambasting an ex- partner labeled an "psychological terrorist".
- Across the album, the singing carry a painted-on smile, akin to a fairy-tale character concealing a knife: "Gold medal in being a scoundrel / You've won the trophy of disappointment."
A Maximalist Banquet for the Soul
This album is popular music on a maximalist level, a hungry grasp for capital-A artistry in an era of impending artificial blankness. It eschews self-absorption for sublime transcendence, crafting an over-the-top spectacle that masterfully manages its built-in ridiculousness. It is an abundant source of hidden treasure that requires patience to completely mine but never seem like a chore. While other big releases of the year seemed like a meager scraps, Lux offers a sumptuous banquet where the guests around the table, some intoxicated on sacred wine, flutter between discussions about ancient figures, the galvanizing sensation of heartbreaking grief, and shared gossip about useless partners. It is a contemporary musical from music's truly endlessly creative visionary.
