At first glance, this work might appear more like an arduous scholarly quiz rather than a new popular music project by a musician who just had a previous single featured an international pop icon. Split across 4 separate parts and performed in 13 languages, this is a breathtaking classical-tinged work exploring feminine mystique, spiritual transcendence, and corporal change, often through the perspective of different women saints. The dissolution of a romance—a topic handled with raw openness elsewhere—is launched skyward here, buoyed by the lush presence of a full orchestra and contributions from a Pulitzer-winning songwriter within an extensive roll call of contributors. Its sheer daring by itself renders the efforts of other artists seem rather small.
Rising Above Academic Pretense
The fact that this album manages to avoid overly academic posturing feels almost a miracle, and complete praise going to Rosalía. While this is not her first album to fuse the past and modern styles, its scale feel much higher on Lux, and the balancing act more pronounced. What really elevates her fourth release, beyond its complex tunes, rich arrangements, and engrained drama, proves to be an essential spirit of playfulness. Much like the legendary Björk during her peak, you find a wondrous sense to the vocalist's voice which sweeps you into its tornado. Even when she is tearing your heart in two, the listener nevertheless want to be right there for the journey.
A Prime Moment of Exuberance
That playful spirit comes forth clearly on the stunning Italian song inspired by Saint Clare. It bathes in a sorrowful whirlpool over several moments. Then, all the music falls silent, to reveal we hear a gleeful giggle and a comment before a comically exaggerated string surge crashes in like comedic force. The track immediately segues into the frenetic single driven by galloping strings, an imposing choir, and a cameo role from none other than herself.
"The charm of Lux is that the listener never quite know—or even wish to predict—where you will go next."
Almost each track finishes in a completely different place from how it began. A track examines the fleeting trappings of fame with a delicate symphony before disintegrating into electronic chaos. Another, a song echoing the artist's previous rhythmic work begins out dark and brooding, featuring menacing vocals, until fluttering flamenco rhythms and an angelic chorus arrive to smooth its rough edges.
The Balance Of Art & Pop
Another crucial balancing act of the album involves navigating the gap between radical innovation and broad accessibility. It is no surprise that it has achieved the artist's first work to break into the upper reaches of key markets: at its core a suite of utterly catchy hits. A song sung primarily in the English language swells around a chorus that seems to gather more and more infectious melodies as it spins skyward. This feat is repeated by another expansive ballad that grows and contracts, intertwining multiple tunes as a complex tapestry.
- A dance-infused number seduces via its playful, theatrical drama and an anthemic chorus.
- In its words, it aligns the pop culture honesty of other heartbreak anthems, eviscerating an ex- partner described as an "psychological terrorist".
- Across the album, the vocals carry a painted-on smile, like a storybook character concealing a blade: "Top prize in being a motherfucker / You've won the trophy of letdown."
An Opulent Feast for the Ears
Lux is popular music on a maximalist level, a hungry grasp for high artistry amid of impending artificial blankness. It eschews solipsism for sublime elevation, creating an over-the-top drama that skillfully controls its inherent ridiculousness. This is an abundant source of buried gems that requires patience to fully mine but never seem like a chore. Where other major releases of the year seemed like a meager meal, this record offers a sumptuous banquet where the characters around the table, some intoxicated on sacred wine, flit from conversations about historical saints, the galvanizing sensation of soul-shattering sadness, and common stories about hopeless men. In essence, it's a modern-day theatrical production from pop's most restlessly inventive visionary.
