Initially, this album might appear more like an arduous scholarly challenge rather than a new pop record by an artist who just had a previous hit featured a global K-pop star. Broken into four different parts and sung in 13 tongues, this is a dizzying orchestral-influenced work investigating female mystique, spiritual ascent, and corporal transformation, often via the lens of various female saints. The dissolution of a romance—a topic treated with grounded honesty elsewhere—is launched skyward on this record, carried by the lush presence of a major orchestra and input from an award-winning composer among a long list of collaborators. Its sheer ambition by itself makes the work of contemporary artists appear rather laughable.
Transcending Scholarly Pretense
The fact that this album succeeds in avoid overly intellectual posturing is nearly miraculous, with full credit going to the artist. While it's not the first time album to blend historical sounds with modern styles, the ambitions feel much higher on Lux, and the balancing act more pronounced. What really elevates her fourth release, beyond its multilayered tunes, rich arrangements, and inherent drama, is a core sense of joy. Much like the iconic Björk during her peak, you find a wondrous quality to Rosalía's voice that pulls you up in its whirlwind. Even when she's breaking hearts apart, the listener still desire to be alongside her for the journey.
A Signature Example of Exuberance
That exuberant energy comes forth brightly on a stunning Italian ballad inspired by a saint. It bathes in a sorrowful whirlpool for several moments. Suddenly, all the music drops away, to reveal there's a spontaneous laugh and a declaration before a hilariously over-the-top orchestral crescendo thuds down with comedic force. The song then segues into the frenetic track featuring racing strings, an imposing choir, and a cameo role from the artist Björk.
"The magic with Lux lies in you rarely quite understand—nor want to know—what you will go to next."
Nearly every song ends at a completely distinct place than how it began. A track examines the transient trappings of fame with a delicate symphony before collapsing in digital cacophony. Elsewhere, a cut echoing her previous rhythmic work starts out dark and brooding, featuring prowling vocals, until sudden flamenco handclaps and an angelic chorus arrive to smooth its rough corners.
The Balance Of Art and Pop
A key achievement on the album is straddling the line of radical innovation and mainstream appeal. It is no surprise that the album has achieved the artist's first release to break into the Top 5 of major charts: its heart contains a collection of truly undeniable pop songs. One track sung entirely in English swells around a refrain that seems to collect more and more infectious melodies while it spins upward. That trick is echoed by a different powerful track that expands and constricts, weaving multiple tunes as an intricate tapestry.
- A dance-infused song charms via its jaunty, theatrical drama and an anthemic hook.
- Lyrically, it aligns the pop culture impact of other heartbreak anthems, lambasting an ex- partner described as an "psychological terrorist".
- Across the album, the vocals have a painted-on edge, akin to a storybook character concealing a blade: "Top prize in being a motherfucker / You've won the trophy of disappointment."
A Maximalist Feast for the Ears
This album represents pop on a grand scale, a hungry grasp for capital-A Art amid of impending artificial blankness. It eschews self-absorption for sublime elevation, creating an over-the-top drama that skillfully controls its built-in ridiculousness. It is a deep source of buried treasure that takes time to fully explore but never feels like a chore. While other major pop albums of the year seemed like feasting on meal, this record is a sumptuous feast where the guests around the table, some tipsy on holy drink, flutter from discussions about ancient saints, the profound feeling of heartbreaking sadness, and common gossip about useless partners. In essence, it's a contemporary theatrical production from pop's most restlessly inventive practitioner.
