On the surface, this work could seem closer to a difficult university quiz than a new pop album by a musician whose previous hit featured an international K-pop star. Broken across four distinct parts and sung in 13 tongues, this is a dizzying classical-tinged album that delves into feminine mystery, religious transcendence, and bodily change, often via the prism of different saintly figures. The dissolution of a romance—a theme treated with raw honesty on another major 2025 album—soars skyward here, supported by the constant sound of a major orchestra and work from an award-winning songwriter within a vast roll call of collaborators. The pure audacity alone renders the work of contemporary artists look quite modest.
Rising Above Scholarly Exercise
That this album manages to avoid dry academic chin-stroking feels almost a miracle, with complete credit going to Rosalía. While this is not the first time album to fuse the past with modern styles, its scale are far greater on Lux, with the tightrope walk more precarious. The element that truly elevates this fourth album, beyond its complex melodies, rich compositions, and engrained theatricality, is a core spirit of fun. Much like the legendary artist at her height, there is a wondrous quality to Rosalía's singing which sweeps the listener up in its whirlwind. Even when she is breaking your heart apart, you nevertheless want to be right there for the journey.
A Signature Example of Exuberance
That exuberant energy shines brightly during a stunning Italian ballad about Saint Clare. It luxuriates in a string-drenched whirlpool for several moments. Suddenly, all the music drops away, and there's a spontaneous giggle followed by a declaration before a comically exaggerated orchestral surge thuds in with comedic force. The song immediately shifts into the frenetic single featuring racing orchestration, a powerful choir, and a surprise appearance from the artist Björk.
"The charm with this album is that the listener never exactly know—nor want to predict—what it will go next."
Nearly every track concludes in a completely different place than where it began. One moment examines the fleeting nature of celebrity with a featherlight orchestration only to collapsing in electronic chaos. Another, a song echoing the artist's previous rhythmic style begins out moody and brooding, featuring prowling beats, until sudden traditional handclaps and an angelic choir enter to smooth the song's rough corners.
The Bridge Of Experiment & Pop
Another crucial achievement on Lux involves navigating the gap between radical innovation and mainstream appeal. This is no 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 utterly catchy hits. A song performed entirely in English builds on a refrain that feels to collect increasingly infectious hooks while it spirals skyward. This trick gets repeated by a different expansive ballad that grows and contracts, weaving multiple tunes like an intricate tapestry.
- A waltz-like number charms via its jaunty, theatrical drama and an anthemic hook.
- Lyrically, it aligns with pop culture impact of contemporary heartbreak anthems, eviscerating a former lover labeled an "emotional bully".
- Throughout the album, the vocals carry a sharp edge, akin to a fairy-tale character concealing a blade: "Top prize in acting like a motherfucker / You have the podium of disappointment."
An Opulent Banquet for the Soul
This album represents popular music on a maximalist level, an ambitious grasp for high artistry in an era of looming artificial blankness. It rejects solipsism for sublime transcendence, crafting an over-the-top drama that skillfully manages its own inherent excess. This is an abundant source of hidden treasure that requires time to completely mine but doesn't feels like hard work. While other big pop albums of the year seemed like feasting on scraps, Lux offers a lavish feast at which the characters at the table, perhaps intoxicated on holy drink, flutter between discussions about historical figures, the profound feeling of heartbreaking sadness, and shared stories about useless men. It is a contemporary theatrical production from music's truly endlessly inventive visionary.
