At first glance, this album might appear closer to a difficult academic challenge rather than a new pop project by an artist whose previous hit was a collaboration with an international pop icon. Broken across four different sections and sung in thirteen tongues, it is a breathtaking orchestral-influenced album that delves into feminine mystique, spiritual transcendence, and bodily transformation, frequently through the perspective of various saintly figures. The end of a romance—a topic treated with grounded honesty on another major 2025 album—is launched skyward on this record, supported by the lush sound of a full symphony orchestra and contributions from an award-winning songwriter among a long list of contributors. The pure audacity alone makes the work of contemporary artists seem rather small.
Transcending Academic Pretense
That this album manages to escape overly academic posturing feels nothing short of a miracle, with full praise belonging to Rosalía. While this is not her first album to fuse the past with modern styles, its ambitions are much greater here, with the balancing act far more dramatic. What truly elevates this fourth release, beyond its multilayered tunes, rich compositions, and inherent theatricality, proves to be an essential sense of fun. Much like the iconic Björk during her height, you find a captivating sense to the vocalist's voice that pulls you up in its whirlwind. Even when she's breaking hearts apart, you nevertheless want to stay alongside her through the ride.
A Signature Example of Exuberance
That exuberant spirit shines brightly during the stirring piano-led song inspired by a saint. It bathes in a sorrowful whirlpool for several moments. Then, all the music drops away, and we hear a spontaneous giggle and a comment before a hilariously exaggerated orchestral crescendo crashes down with cartoonish impact. The track then shifts into the frenetic single featuring galloping strings, an imposing choral group, and a surprise appearance from none other than herself.
"The charm with Lux is that the listener never exactly understand—nor wish to know—where you is going next."
Nearly every song ends at a completely distinct place than how it began. A track explores the transient trappings of celebrity with a featherlight symphony before disintegrating into electronic chaos. Elsewhere, a song that recalls the artist's previous trap-infused style starts out moody and sinister, featuring prowling vocals, until fluttering flamenco handclaps and a heavenly choir enter to soften the song's rough edges.
The Balance Of Art and Accessibility
A key balancing act of Lux involves navigating the line of bold innovation and mainstream appeal. It is no surprise that the album has achieved the artist's first work to crack the Top 5 of key charts: at its core a collection of truly undeniable pop songs. A song performed entirely in English builds around a refrain that feels to gather increasingly nagging hooks while it spirals upward. That trick is echoed by a different powerful track that expands and contracts, weaving multiple tunes like an intricate tapestry.
- A dance-infused song charms via its jaunty, Disney-adjacent flair and an anthemic hook.
- Lyrically, it shares the cultural impact of contemporary heartbreak anthems, lambasting a former lover described as an "emotional bully".
- Throughout the album, the vocals carry a painted-on edge, akin to a fairy-tale figure hiding a blade: "Top prize in being a motherfucker / You've won the trophy of letdown."
An Opulent Feast for the Soul
Lux represents popular music on a grand scale, a hungry reach for capital-A artistry amid of looming AI-generated blankness. It rejects solipsism for sublime transcendence, crafting a dramatic spectacle that masterfully controls its built-in ridiculousness. It is an abundant well of buried treasure that requires patience to completely explore but never feels like a chore. Where some major releases of the year felt like a meager meal, Lux is a lavish feast where the characters around the table, perhaps tipsy on sacred wine, flutter between conversations about ancient saints, the galvanizing feeling of heartbreaking sadness, and common gossip about useless partners. In essence, it's a contemporary musical from pop's truly restlessly creative visionary.
