At first glance, this album might appear closer to an arduous academic challenge rather than a new pop record from a musician whose previous single was a collaboration with a global K-pop icon. Divided across 4 separate sections and performed in 13 languages, it is a head-spinning classical-tinged work investigating feminine mystery, spiritual ascent, and corporal transformation, often through the prism of various female saints. The end of a love affair—a theme handled with raw honesty elsewhere—soars heavenward on this record, carried by the lush presence of a major symphony orchestra and contributions from an award-winning songwriter within a long roll call of contributors. Its sheer daring by itself makes the efforts of contemporary artists look rather laughable.
Rising Above Scholarly Exercise
The fact that this album succeeds in transcend dry intellectual posturing is nothing short of a miracle, with full credit belonging to the artist. Although it's not the first time album to fuse the past with modern styles, the ambitions are far greater here, and the balancing act far more dramatic. What really elevates her fourth album, outside of its multilayered tunes, rich arrangements, and inherent drama, is a core spirit of joy. Similar to the legendary Björk during her height, there is a wondrous quality to Rosalía's singing which sweeps you into its tornado. When she's tearing hearts in two, you nevertheless desire to be right there through the journey.
A Signature Example of Exuberance
This exuberant spirit comes forth brightly during a stunning Italian ballad about a saint. It bathes in a string-drenched melancholy for more than four minutes. Then, all the music drops silent, to reveal we hear a spontaneous giggle followed by a declaration before a hilariously over-the-top string crescendo thuds in like comedic impact. The track then segues to the wild single featuring racing strings, an imposing choral group, and a cameo role from none other than herself.
"The charm with this album is that you rarely exactly know—or even want to predict—where you will go to next."
Almost every track concludes at a completely distinct place from how it began. A track examines the fleeting nature of celebrity over a delicate orchestration only to collapsing into digital chaos. Elsewhere, a cut echoing her earlier rhythmic work begins off dark and brooding, featuring prowling vocals, until fluttering flamenco rhythms and an angelic chorus enter to soften the song's jagged edges.
The Balance Of Experiment & Accessibility
A key achievement on the album is straddling the line of bold innovation and broad accessibility. It is little coincidence that the album has become her highest-charting work to crack the upper reaches of major markets: at its core a collection of truly catchy pop songs. One track sung entirely in English builds around a refrain that seems to collect increasingly nagging hooks as it spirals upward. This feat is repeated on a different powerful ballad that expands and constricts, weaving multiple tunes as an intricate weave.
- A waltz-like number seduces via its jaunty, theatrical drama and a chant-along chorus.
- In its words, it shares the cultural impact of contemporary heartbreak songs, eviscerating an ex- lover described as an "psychological bully".
- Throughout these tracks, the singing carry a sharp smile, akin to a storybook character concealing a blade: "Gold medal in acting like a scoundrel / You've the podium of disappointment."
A Maximalist Feast for the Soul
This album represents pop on a maximalist scale, an ambitious grasp for capital-A Art in an era of impending artificial blankness. It eschews solipsism for glorious transcendence, creating an over-the-top spectacle that skillfully manages its inherent excess. It is a deep well of buried treasure that takes patience to completely explore but never feels like a chore. While other big pop albums of the year felt like a meager meal, Lux offers a lavish feast where the guests around it, some intoxicated on sacred wine, flutter from conversations about historical saints, the galvanizing sensation of heartbreaking sadness, and common gossip about useless men. It is a modern-day musical from music's truly endlessly inventive practitioner.
