At first glance, this album might appear more like an arduous academic examination than the latest pop record by an artist whose previous hit was a collaboration with an international K-pop star. Split into 4 separate parts and voiced in 13 tongues, it is a dizzying symphonic opus exploring feminine mystery, spiritual ascent, and physical change, frequently by way of the lens of different women saints. The dissolution of a love affair—a topic handled with raw honesty on another major 2025 album—is shot skyward here, supported by the constant presence of a major symphony orchestra and contributions from an award-winning songwriter among an extensive roll call of contributors. The pure ambition alone renders the efforts of contemporary artists appear rather modest.
Rising Above Academic Exercise
That this album manages to avoid overly intellectual chin-stroking feels nearly a miracle, with sole praise belonging to Rosalía. While it's not the first time project to alchemize the past with modern styles, its scale feel far greater here, with the tightrope walk far more precarious. What truly raises her fourth album, outside of its multilayered tunes, dense arrangements, and inherent drama, proves to be a core spirit of playfulness. Much like the iconic Björk at her peak, you find a captivating quality to the vocalist's singing which sweeps you up in its whirlwind. Even when she is tearing hearts in two, the listener nevertheless want to be alongside her for the journey.
A Prime Moment of Exuberance
That exuberant spirit shines brightly on the stirring piano-led song inspired by Saint Clare. It luxuriates in a string-drenched whirlpool over more than four moments. Suddenly, all the music falls away, to reveal there's a gleeful giggle followed by a declaration before a comically over-the-top orchestral surge crashes in like cartoonish impact. The song then segues into the frenetic single driven by galloping orchestration, an imposing choral group, and a cameo appearance from the artist herself.
"The charm with Lux lies in you rarely exactly know—nor wish to know—what it is going to next."
Nearly each track ends in a totally distinct place from where it started. One moment examines the fleeting trappings of celebrity with a featherlight symphony only to disintegrating into digital chaos. Elsewhere, a song that recalls her previous trap-infused style begins out dark and sinister, with menacing vocals, until fluttering traditional rhythms and an angelic chorus enter to smooth its rough edges.
The Bridge Between Experiment and Pop
A key achievement on Lux is straddling the line of radical experimentation and broad accessibility. This is no surprise that it has achieved the artist's first release to crack the upper reaches of major charts: at its core a suite of utterly catchy hits. A song sung primarily in English builds on a refrain that feels to collect more and more infectious hooks as it spirals upward. That trick is repeated by another expansive ballad that expands and constricts, intertwining multiple melodies like an intricate tapestry.
- A waltz-like song charms via its playful, theatrical flair and a chant-along hook.
- In its words, it aligns with pop culture honesty of other breakup anthems, lambasting a former partner labeled an "emotional bully".
- Across the album, the singing carry a painted-on smile, akin to a storybook character hiding a blade: "Gold medal in being a motherfucker / You have won the trophy of letdown."
An Opulent Feast for the Soul
Lux represents popular music on a grand scale, an ambitious reach for high Art amid of looming artificial blankness. It eschews self-absorption in favor of glorious transcendence, crafting an over-the-top spectacle that masterfully manages its own inherent ridiculousness. This is an abundant source of hidden gems that takes patience to completely explore but doesn't seem like a chore. While other big releases of the year seemed like feasting on scraps, Lux offers a lavish banquet at which the characters at it, some intoxicated on sacred drink, flutter from conversations about ancient saints, the profound sensation of soul-shattering sadness, and shared gossip about hopeless partners. It is a modern-day theatrical production from pop's most restlessly inventive practitioner.
