On the surface, this album might appear closer to a challenging university examination than a new popular music record by a musician who just had a previous hit was a collaboration with an international K-pop icon. Split into 4 separate movements and performed in 13 tongues, we have a breathtaking orchestral-influenced opus that delves into feminine mystique, spiritual ascent, and bodily change, often via the lens of different saintly figures. The end of a relationship—a theme handled with raw openness on another major 2025 album—is shot upwards here, carried by the lush presence of a major orchestra and contributions from an award-winning songwriter within an extensive roll call of contributors. The pure audacity alone makes the efforts of other artists seem rather small.
Transcending Academic Pretense
That Lux succeeds in avoid overly intellectual chin-stroking feels nothing short of a miracle, and full credit going to Rosalía. While this is not the first time album to fuse historical sounds with modern styles, the ambitions are much greater here, with the balancing act more precarious. What really elevates her fourth release, beyond its complex tunes, dense compositions, and inherent theatricality, proves to be a core spirit of joy. Much like the legendary artist during her peak, you find a wondrous sense to Rosalía's voice that pulls the listener into its whirlwind. Even when she is breaking your heart in two, you nevertheless desire to be right there for the ride.
A Signature Example of Exuberance
This exuberant energy shines brightly during a stunning Italian song about a saint. It bathes in a sorrowful melancholy over several minutes. Then, everything falls silent, to reveal there's a gleeful laugh followed by a declaration before a comically exaggerated string crescendo crashes down with comedic force. The track then segues to the frenetic single driven by galloping orchestration, an imposing choir, and a cameo appearance from the artist Björk.
"The magic with this album is that the listener never quite know—nor wish to know—where you is going next."
Nearly each song finishes at a completely different point than how it started. A track explores the fleeting nature of celebrity over a delicate symphony only to collapsing in digital cacophony. Another, a cut echoing her previous rhythmic style begins off moody and brooding, featuring menacing vocals, until fluttering traditional rhythms and an angelic choir enter to soften the song's jagged edges.
The Bridge Between Art and Accessibility
A key balancing act on the album is navigating the gap between radical innovation and broad appeal. It is little surprise that it has achieved the artist's highest-charting release to crack the Top 5 of key markets: at its core a suite of utterly catchy hits. One track sung primarily in English builds around a chorus that seems to gather more and more infectious melodies while it spins skyward. That feat gets repeated by a different expansive track that grows and contracts, intertwining layered melodies as a complex weave.
- A waltz-like song charms with its playful, theatrical flair and an anthemic hook.
- In its words, it shares the cultural honesty of contemporary heartbreak songs, lambasting a former partner described as an "psychological bully".
- Across the album, the vocals have a sharp edge, akin to a fairy-tale character concealing a blade: "Top prize in acting like a scoundrel / You've the podium of letdown."
An Opulent Feast for the Ears
Lux is pop on a grand scale, a hungry reach for capital-A Art in an era of looming AI-generated sameness. It rejects self-absorption for glorious elevation, creating an over-the-top spectacle that masterfully controls its own inherent excess. This is a deep source of hidden treasure that takes time to fully explore but never feels like hard work. Where some major releases of the year seemed like feasting on meal, this record offers a sumptuous banquet at which the guests around it, some intoxicated on holy drink, flutter from conversations about ancient saints, the galvanizing sensation of heartbreaking sadness, and shared gossip about hopeless partners. In essence, it's a contemporary musical from music's most restlessly inventive practitioner.
