At first glance, this album might appear more like an arduous scholarly challenge than a new popular music album by an artist whose previous single was a collaboration with an international pop icon. Split into 4 different movements and sung in thirteen tongues, it is a head-spinning symphonic opus investigating female mystique, religious ascent, and corporal change, often by way of the prism of different saintly figures. The dissolution of a relationship—a theme handled with grounded honesty elsewhere—is shot heavenward on this record, carried by the constant presence of a full symphony orchestra and contributions from an award-winning songwriter within an extensive roll call of contributors. The pure ambition alone renders the work of other artists look quite laughable.
Transcending Academic Pretense
The fact that Lux manages to transcend overly intellectual posturing is almost miraculous, with full praise going to Rosalía. Although it's not the first time album to alchemize the past and modern styles, the stakes feel much higher on Lux, with the tightrope walk far more dramatic. The element that truly raises this fourth release, beyond its complex melodies, rich arrangements, and inherent drama, is an essential sense of playfulness. Similar to the legendary Björk during her peak, there is a wondrous quality to Rosalía's singing that pulls the listener up in its whirlwind. Even when she is tearing your heart apart, the listener still want to stay right there for the ride.
A Prime Moment of Joy
That exuberant energy comes forth clearly on the stunning Italian ballad about Saint Clare. It bathes in a sorrowful melancholy for several minutes. Suddenly, everything drops away, and we hear a gleeful laugh followed by a comment prior to a comically exaggerated string surge crashes down like cartoonish force. The song immediately segues to the frenetic track driven by galloping orchestration, a powerful choir, and a surprise role from the artist Björk.
"The charm with Lux lies in you rarely quite know—nor wish to predict—what you will go to next."
Nearly every track concludes in a totally distinct place than where it started. One moment examines the fleeting trappings of fame over a delicate symphony before disintegrating in digital cacophony. Another, a cut that recalls her previous rhythmic work starts off moody and sinister, featuring menacing vocals, until sudden traditional rhythms and a heavenly choir arrive to soften its jagged corners.
The Bridge Of Art & Accessibility
A key balancing act on Lux is straddling the gap between radical innovation and mainstream appeal. It is little coincidence that it has achieved the artist's first release to break into the upper reaches of major markets: at its core a suite of truly undeniable hits. One track performed primarily in English builds on a chorus that seems to gather increasingly infectious melodies while it spirals upward. That trick is echoed on a different expansive ballad that grows and contracts, intertwining layered tunes as an intricate weave.
- A waltz-like number seduces via its jaunty, theatrical drama and an anthemic hook.
- Lyrically, it shares with pop culture impact of contemporary heartbreak anthems, eviscerating an ex- lover described as an "emotional terrorist".
- Throughout the album, the vocals have a painted-on edge, like a fairy-tale character concealing a blade: "Gold medal in being a scoundrel / You've won the trophy of letdown."
A Maximalist Feast for the Ears
Lux is pop on a grand level, an ambitious reach for capital-A artistry amid of impending artificial sameness. It eschews self-absorption for sublime transcendence, creating an over-the-top spectacle that masterfully manages its inherent excess. It is a deep well of hidden treasure that takes patience to completely mine but doesn't feels like a chore. While some big releases of the year seemed like feasting on scraps, Lux offers a lavish banquet at which the characters around the table, perhaps intoxicated on sacred drink, flutter between discussions about historical figures, the galvanizing sensation of heartbreaking grief, and shared stories about hopeless men. It is a modern-day musical from music's truly endlessly creative practitioner.
