Initially, this work may look closer to a challenging academic examination than the latest popular music album from an artist who just had a previous single featured an international pop star. Divided into four separate movements and performed in 13 tongues, it is a breathtaking symphonic album exploring feminine mystique, religious ascent, and bodily change, frequently via the prism of various saintly figures. The dissolution of a relationship—a topic handled with grounded openness on another major 2025 album—soars heavenward here, supported by the lush sound of a major orchestra and work from an award-winning composer among a vast list of contributors. Its sheer daring alone makes the efforts of contemporary artists look quite small.
Transcending Scholarly Exercise
That Lux succeeds in escape overly academic chin-stroking feels nothing short of miraculous, with sole praise going to Rosalía. Although it's not the first time project to alchemize the past and modern styles, its ambitions feel far greater on Lux, and the balancing act more precarious. The element that really raises this fourth album, outside of its multilayered tunes, dense arrangements, and inherent theatricality, is an essential spirit of joy. Much like the iconic artist during her height, you find a captivating sense to Rosalía's singing which sweeps you up in its whirlwind. Even when she is breaking hearts in two, you nevertheless desire to stay right there through the ride.
A Prime Moment of Joy
That playful spirit shines clearly on a stunning Italian song inspired by Saint Clare. It bathes in a sorrowful whirlpool for several minutes. Then, everything drops away, and we hear a gleeful laugh and a declaration before a comically over-the-top string crescendo crashes down with comedic impact. The track then segues into the frenetic track featuring racing orchestration, an imposing choral group, and a cameo role from the artist herself.
"The charm with this album lies in you rarely quite understand—nor want to predict—what you will go to next."
Almost each song concludes in a totally distinct point from how it began. One moment explores the transient trappings of fame over a delicate orchestration before collapsing in electronic cacophony. Another, a song that recalls the artist's earlier trap-infused style begins off moody and sinister, featuring prowling vocals, until sudden flamenco handclaps and an angelic choir arrive to smooth the song's rough corners.
The Bridge Between Experiment and Pop
A key achievement on Lux involves straddling the line of bold innovation and broad accessibility. It is no coincidence that it has become her first work to break into the Top 5 of key markets: its heart contains a suite of truly undeniable hits. One track sung primarily in the English language builds around a refrain that seems to collect increasingly nagging hooks as it spirals upward. This trick gets repeated on a different powerful track that grows and contracts, intertwining layered melodies as a complex weave.
- A waltz-like song charms via its jaunty, theatrical flair and a chant-along chorus.
- Lyrically, it aligns with cultural impact of other heartbreak songs, lambasting a former lover described as an "psychological terrorist".
- Across these tracks, the singing carry a sharp smile, akin to a storybook figure concealing a knife: "Top prize in being a scoundrel / You've the podium of disappointment."
A Maximalist Banquet for the Ears
Lux is popular music on a maximalist level, a hungry reach for high Art in an era of looming artificial blankness. It rejects self-absorption in favor of sublime elevation, creating a dramatic spectacle that skillfully manages its built-in ridiculousness. It is an abundant source of hidden treasure that takes time to fully explore but doesn't seem like a chore. While other major releases of the year seemed like a meager scraps, Lux offers a sumptuous banquet at which the characters at the table, some intoxicated on holy drink, flutter between discussions about ancient saints, the galvanizing feeling of soul-shattering grief, and common gossip about useless men. In essence, it's a contemporary theatrical production from music's most endlessly creative practitioner.
