On the surface, Lux could seem more like a challenging scholarly examination rather than a new pop album by a musician whose previous hit was a collaboration with an international K-pop star. Divided across 4 distinct movements and voiced in 13 tongues, it is a head-spinning symphonic opus that delves into female mystique, spiritual ascent, and physical change, often through the perspective of different saintly figures. The end of a love affair—a theme treated with grounded openness elsewhere—is shot upwards here, supported by the constant presence of a major orchestra and contributions from a Pulitzer-winning songwriter within a vast roll call of collaborators. The pure daring by itself makes the efforts of contemporary artists seem rather laughable.
Rising Above Academic Exercise
The fact that Lux succeeds in escape dry academic posturing feels almost a miracle, with full praise belonging to Rosalía. While this is not the first time album to blend the past with the present, its stakes feel much higher here, with the balancing act more precarious. The element that really elevates this fourth release, beyond its complex tunes, rich arrangements, and inherent drama, is a core spirit of fun. Similar to the iconic artist at her height, there is a captivating sense to the vocalist's singing which sweeps you up in its whirlwind. When she is tearing hearts apart, the listener nevertheless desire to stay alongside her through the ride.
A Signature Moment of Joy
That exuberant spirit shines brightly on the stirring Italian song about Saint Clare. It luxuriates in a sorrowful melancholy for several minutes. Then, everything falls away, to reveal there's a spontaneous laugh followed by a declaration before a hilariously over-the-top orchestral crescendo thuds down like comedic force. The song then segues into the wild track featuring racing orchestration, a powerful choral group, and a surprise appearance from none other than Björk.
"The magic of Lux is that you rarely exactly know—or even want to predict—what you will go next."
Nearly each song finishes at a completely different point than where it started. One moment examines the transient nature of fame with a featherlight orchestration only to collapsing into digital cacophony. Elsewhere, a song that recalls the artist's earlier rhythmic work starts out dark and brooding, with prowling vocals, before sudden traditional handclaps and a heavenly chorus arrive to soften its jagged corners.
The Balance Between Experiment & Accessibility
A key achievement of Lux is navigating the gap between radical innovation and mainstream appeal. This is little coincidence that the album has achieved her first work to crack the Top 5 of key markets: its heart contains a suite of utterly undeniable hits. A song performed entirely in English swells on a refrain that seems to gather increasingly nagging melodies while it spins skyward. That trick is echoed by a different expansive ballad that grows and contracts, weaving multiple tunes as a complex weave.
- A waltz-like song seduces via its jaunty, Disney-adjacent drama and a chant-along hook.
- Lyrically, it aligns with cultural impact of contemporary breakup anthems, lambasting a former lover described as an "psychological terrorist".
- Throughout the album, the vocals have a sharp edge, akin to a storybook character concealing a knife: "Top prize in acting like a motherfucker / You have won the trophy of disappointment."
A Maximalist Feast for the Ears
This album represents pop on a maximalist scale, a hungry reach for capital-A artistry in an era of impending AI-generated sameness. It eschews solipsism in favor of sublime transcendence, creating a dramatic spectacle that skillfully controls its own inherent ridiculousness. This is an abundant source of hidden gems that takes patience to fully mine but doesn't feels like hard work. Where other major releases of 2025 seemed like feasting on scraps, this record offers a lavish feast where the characters around the table, perhaps intoxicated on sacred drink, flit from discussions about ancient saints, the profound feeling of heartbreaking grief, and shared gossip about hopeless partners. In essence, it's a contemporary musical from music's most endlessly creative practitioner.
