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Initially, Lux might appear more like a difficult academic examination than the latest popular music album by an artist whose last hit featured a global pop icon. Split across 4 different sections and performed in 13 languages, we have a dizzying orchestral-influenced album that delves into female mystery, spiritual transcendence, and corporal transformation, frequently via the lens of different female saints. The dissolution of a romance—a topic handled with raw honesty elsewhere—is launched upwards here, carried by the constant presence of a full symphony orchestra and contributions from an award-winning composer among a long list of collaborators. Its sheer ambition alone renders the work of other artists seem quite laughable.

Transcending Academic Exercise

The fact that Lux manages to escape overly academic chin-stroking is nothing short of miraculous, and full credit belonging to the artist. Although this is not her first album to alchemize the past with the present, its ambitions are much greater on Lux, with the balancing act more precarious. The element that truly elevates this fourth release, outside of its multilayered tunes, rich compositions, and engrained theatricality, is an essential spirit of fun. Similar to the legendary artist at her height, there is a wondrous sense to Rosalía's singing that pulls you into its tornado. When she's tearing hearts in two, the listener still desire to be alongside her through the journey.

A Signature Moment of Joy

That exuberant energy comes forth brightly on the stirring piano-led song inspired by Saint Clare. It luxuriates in a string-drenched whirlpool for more than four minutes. Then, all the music falls silent, and we hear a spontaneous laugh and a declaration before a comically exaggerated orchestral surge crashes down with comedic impact. The track immediately shifts into the frenetic track driven by racing strings, an imposing choral group, and a surprise appearance from none other than Björk.

"The charm of this album lies in the listener rarely exactly understand—nor wish to predict—what you will go to next."

Almost every track concludes at a completely different place than where it began. A track examines the transient nature of fame over a delicate orchestration only to disintegrating into electronic chaos. Another, a song echoing the artist's earlier trap-infused work starts out dark and brooding, with prowling beats, until fluttering flamenco rhythms and an angelic chorus arrive to soften its rough corners.

The Balance Of Art and Pop

A key balancing act of Lux involves navigating the gap of bold experimentation and broad appeal. It is no coincidence that it has achieved her highest-charting release to crack the upper reaches of key charts: its heart contains a collection of utterly catchy hits. One track sung entirely in the English language swells on a refrain that seems to collect more and more nagging melodies as it spins upward. This feat is echoed on another powerful track that expands and contracts, weaving multiple melodies like an intricate tapestry.

• A waltz-like song seduces with its jaunty, Disney-adjacent flair and an anthemic hook.
• Lyrically, it aligns the cultural impact of contemporary heartbreak songs, lambasting a former partner labeled an "emotional terrorist".
• Across the album, the vocals carry a sharp edge, akin to a fairy-tale figure hiding a knife: "Gold medal in being a motherfucker / You have won the trophy of letdown."

A Maximalist Feast for the Ears

Lux represents popular music on a grand scale, an ambitious grasp for capital-A artistry in an era of looming AI-generated blankness. It eschews solipsism in favor of glorious elevation, crafting a dramatic spectacle that skillfully controls its built-in excess. It is a deep source of hidden gems that requires time to completely explore but never seem like hard work. Where some big releases of the year seemed like feasting on scraps, this record is a lavish banquet where the guests around the table, perhaps tipsy on holy drink, flutter from discussions about historical saints, the profound sensation of soul-shattering grief, and shared gossip about hopeless partners. In essence, it's a modern-day theatrical production from music's most endlessly inventive practitioner.