On the surface, this work might appear more like a difficult university quiz rather than a new pop project from an artist whose previous single was a collaboration with a global pop icon. Broken into 4 different parts and voiced in 13 tongues, it is a head-spinning classical-tinged opus investigating feminine mystery, religious ascent, and physical change, often through the perspective of various female saints. The end of a love affair—a topic treated with grounded openness elsewhere—soars skyward on this record, carried by the constant presence of a full symphony orchestra and contributions from an award-winning songwriter among a vast roll call of collaborators. The pure ambition alone makes the efforts of other pop stars look quite laughable.
Rising Above Academic Pretense
That this album manages to avoid overly academic chin-stroking is nothing short of miraculous, and sole praise belonging to Rosalía. While this is not her first project to blend historical sounds and the present, the ambitions are far higher on Lux, and the tightrope walk far more precarious. The element that truly elevates this fourth album, outside of its complex tunes, dense compositions, and engrained drama, is an essential sense of fun. Similar to the legendary Björk at her peak, you find a wondrous quality to the vocalist's voice which sweeps the listener up in its whirlwind. When she is breaking hearts apart, the listener nevertheless desire to be alongside her for the ride.
A Prime Moment of Exuberance
This playful spirit comes forth clearly during the stunning Italian song about a saint. It bathes in a sorrowful melancholy for several moments. Then, all the music falls away, to reveal there's a gleeful laugh and a declaration prior to a hilariously exaggerated string crescendo crashes in like comedic impact. The track immediately segues into the wild single featuring racing orchestration, a powerful choir, and a cameo appearance from none other than Björk.
"The magic of this album is that the listener rarely exactly understand—or even want to know—where it is going next."
Nearly each song finishes at a totally different point than how it started. A track examines the transient nature of celebrity with a delicate orchestration before collapsing in digital cacophony. Elsewhere, a song that recalls the artist's previous rhythmic style begins off dark and brooding, featuring menacing vocals, before sudden flamenco handclaps and a heavenly choir arrive to soften the song's jagged edges.
The Bridge Between Art and Accessibility
A key balancing act of the album involves straddling the line of bold innovation and broad appeal. This is little surprise that the album has achieved her highest-charting work to break into the upper reaches of major charts: at its core a suite of truly catchy hits. One track sung primarily in English swells on a refrain that seems to gather more and more nagging melodies as it spins upward. That trick gets echoed by another powerful ballad that grows and contracts, weaving layered melodies like a complex weave.
- A waltz-like number seduces with its jaunty, theatrical flair and a chant-along chorus.
- Lyrically, it shares the cultural impact of other heartbreak songs, eviscerating a former partner labeled an "psychological bully".
- Throughout these tracks, the singing have a painted-on smile, like a fairy-tale character hiding a blade: "Top prize in acting like a motherfucker / You've the podium of disappointment."
An Opulent Feast for the Ears
Lux represents pop on a grand level, an ambitious grasp for capital-A artistry in an era of looming artificial sameness. It rejects solipsism for glorious transcendence, creating an over-the-top drama that masterfully controls its own inherent ridiculousness. It is a deep source of hidden treasure that takes patience to completely explore but doesn't seem like a chore. Where some major pop albums of the year seemed like feasting on meal, Lux is a lavish feast where the characters around it, some intoxicated on sacred drink, flit between discussions about ancient saints, the galvanizing feeling of heartbreaking grief, and shared stories about hopeless partners. In essence, it's a contemporary theatrical production from pop's most restlessly inventive visionary.
