Initially, Lux might appear closer to a difficult scholarly quiz than a new popular music project by a musician whose previous hit was a collaboration with an international K-pop icon. Split into four separate movements and performed in 13 tongues, we have a breathtaking orchestral-influenced album that delves into female mystique, religious ascent, and corporal change, frequently through the prism of various women saints. The end of a relationship—a topic treated with raw openness elsewhere—soars skyward here, carried by the lush presence of a full symphony orchestra and contributions from an award-winning composer within an extensive list of contributors. The pure audacity by itself renders the work of contemporary artists look rather laughable.
Transcending Academic Pretense
The fact that this album succeeds in avoid dry academic posturing is nearly a miracle, and full praise belonging to Rosalía. Although this is not the first time album to fuse historical sounds with the present, its ambitions are much higher on Lux, and the tightrope walk far more pronounced. The element that truly raises her fourth album, outside of its complex melodies, rich arrangements, and engrained theatricality, is an essential spirit of fun. Similar to the iconic artist at her peak, there is a wondrous sense to the vocalist's singing which sweeps you into its tornado. Even when she's tearing hearts apart, the listener still want to be alongside her through the ride.
A Signature Moment of Joy
That exuberant spirit shines clearly during the stirring Italian song about a saint. It luxuriates in a sorrowful melancholy over more than four minutes. Suddenly, everything falls silent, and we hear a spontaneous giggle followed by a comment before a comically over-the-top string crescendo crashes in like comedic impact. The song then segues into the wild track featuring galloping orchestration, a powerful choral group, and a surprise role from the artist Björk.
"The charm with Lux is that the listener rarely exactly know—nor wish to predict—where you will go to next."
Nearly each track concludes in a totally different place from how it started. A track explores the fleeting nature of fame over a featherlight symphony before disintegrating in electronic cacophony. Elsewhere, a song echoing the artist's previous trap-infused work begins off dark and sinister, featuring prowling vocals, until fluttering flamenco rhythms and a heavenly chorus arrive to soften the song's jagged edges.
The Balance Of Art and Accessibility
A key balancing act on the album involves straddling the line between bold innovation and mainstream appeal. It is little coincidence that the album has achieved the artist's highest-charting release to crack the upper reaches of key markets: its heart contains a collection of truly catchy hits. One track sung primarily in the English language builds around a refrain that seems to gather more and more infectious hooks as it spirals upward. This feat is repeated by a different powerful ballad that grows and contracts, weaving multiple tunes like a complex weave.
- A waltz-like number seduces via its jaunty, theatrical flair and a chant-along chorus.
- Lyrically, it shares with pop culture honesty of contemporary breakup anthems, lambasting a former lover described as an "emotional bully".
- Throughout these tracks, the vocals have a sharp edge, like a fairy-tale character hiding a knife: "Gold medal in being a motherfucker / You've won the trophy of disappointment."
An Opulent Banquet for the Ears
This album represents popular music on a maximalist scale, an ambitious reach for high artistry in an era of looming artificial blankness. It eschews self-absorption in favor of sublime transcendence, crafting a dramatic drama that skillfully manages its built-in excess. It is a deep well of hidden gems that takes time to completely mine but doesn't feels like hard work. While other big pop albums of 2025 felt like feasting on scraps, Lux offers a lavish banquet at which the guests at the table, some tipsy on holy drink, flit from conversations about historical saints, the galvanizing feeling of heartbreaking sadness, and common stories about useless partners. In essence, it's a contemporary musical from music's truly endlessly inventive practitioner.
