Initially, Lux could seem closer to an arduous university challenge than a new popular music project by a musician whose previous hit featured a global pop star. Divided into four different sections and sung in thirteen tongues, this is a breathtaking classical-tinged work that delves into female mystery, religious ascent, and bodily transformation, often via the lens of different female saints. The dissolution of a romance—a topic treated with raw openness elsewhere—is launched upwards on this record, buoyed by the constant presence of a full orchestra and contributions from a Pulitzer-winning songwriter among a long list of contributors. The pure audacity alone renders the efforts of contemporary artists look rather laughable.
Transcending Academic Pretense
The fact that Lux succeeds in escape overly intellectual chin-stroking is almost miraculous, with complete credit going to Rosalía. While it's not her first album to alchemize historical sounds and the present, the scale are far higher here, with the tightrope walk more dramatic. The element that truly raises her fourth album, outside of its complex tunes, dense arrangements, and engrained theatricality, proves to be a core sense of joy. Similar to the legendary Björk during her height, you find a wondrous quality to the vocalist's singing which sweeps the listener up in its tornado. When she's tearing your heart in two, you still want to stay right there for the ride.
A Signature Moment of Exuberance
This exuberant energy comes forth brightly during a stirring Italian song about Saint Clare. It luxuriates in a string-drenched melancholy over more than four moments. Suddenly, all the music drops silent, to reveal we hear a spontaneous laugh followed by a declaration before a comically exaggerated string crescendo thuds down with cartoonish impact. The track immediately shifts into the frenetic track driven by galloping orchestration, a powerful choir, and a surprise appearance from none other than Björk.
"The charm of Lux is that you rarely exactly know—or even wish to predict—where you is going to next."
Almost each track ends at a completely distinct place from how it began. One moment explores the transient trappings of celebrity with a delicate symphony only to collapsing in digital chaos. Another, a song that recalls the artist's earlier rhythmic style begins off moody and sinister, with prowling beats, until sudden traditional handclaps and a heavenly chorus arrive to smooth its rough corners.
The Bridge Between Experiment and Accessibility
Another crucial balancing act of the album involves navigating the gap of bold experimentation and broad appeal. This is no surprise that it has become her first work to crack the upper reaches of key markets: its heart contains a collection of utterly catchy hits. One track performed entirely in the English language swells on a refrain that seems to gather increasingly nagging melodies while it spirals skyward. This feat gets repeated by a different expansive track that grows and contracts, weaving multiple melodies as an intricate weave.
- A waltz-like number seduces via its jaunty, theatrical flair and a chant-along hook.
- In its words, it shares with cultural honesty of other heartbreak anthems, eviscerating a former partner described as an "emotional terrorist".
- Across these tracks, the vocals have a sharp smile, akin to a fairy-tale character hiding a knife: "Top prize in acting like a scoundrel / You have the podium of letdown."
An Opulent Feast for the Ears
This album is pop on a maximalist level, a hungry grasp for high artistry amid of impending artificial blankness. It rejects solipsism for glorious elevation, creating an over-the-top spectacle that skillfully manages its own built-in ridiculousness. This is an abundant source of hidden gems that requires time to completely explore but doesn't feels like hard work. Where other major pop albums of the year seemed like a meager meal, this record is a sumptuous banquet where the guests at it, some intoxicated on holy wine, flutter from conversations about historical figures, the galvanizing sensation of soul-shattering grief, and common gossip about useless partners. It is a contemporary musical from music's most restlessly inventive practitioner.
