On the surface, Lux may look closer to an arduous academic challenge rather than a new pop album by an artist who just had a last single featured an international K-pop icon. Split into 4 distinct sections and performed in thirteen tongues, we have a breathtaking classical-tinged opus that delves into female mystery, spiritual transcendence, and corporal transformation, frequently via the perspective of various women saints. The end of a love affair—a topic handled with raw openness on another major 2025 album—soars upwards on this record, supported by the lush sound of a full symphony orchestra and input from a Pulitzer-winning songwriter among a long list of contributors. Its sheer audacity alone makes the efforts of contemporary artists seem quite laughable.
Transcending Scholarly Exercise
The fact that Lux manages to transcend overly intellectual chin-stroking is nothing short of miraculous, with sole praise belonging to Rosalía. While this is not the first time project to fuse the past and the present, the stakes are far greater on Lux, and the tightrope walk more precarious. The element that really raises this fourth release, outside of its complex tunes, dense compositions, and inherent drama, proves to be an essential sense of fun. Much like the iconic artist during her height, you find a captivating quality to Rosalía's singing that pulls the listener into its whirlwind. Even when she is breaking your heart in two, you nevertheless want to be alongside her through the ride.
A Signature Moment of Exuberance
That exuberant spirit shines brightly on the stunning Italian ballad inspired by Saint Clare. It luxuriates in a sorrowful melancholy over more than four minutes. Then, all the music falls away, to reveal we hear a spontaneous giggle followed by a declaration before a comically exaggerated orchestral surge thuds in with comedic impact. The track immediately segues into the wild single featuring galloping orchestration, a powerful choir, and a surprise appearance from none other than Björk.
"The charm with Lux is that you rarely exactly understand—nor wish to predict—what it will go to next."
Almost every track ends at a completely distinct point from how it began. One moment explores the fleeting nature of fame with a delicate orchestration only to disintegrating into electronic chaos. Elsewhere, a song that recalls the artist's earlier trap-infused work begins out moody and brooding, featuring menacing beats, until sudden flamenco rhythms and an angelic chorus enter to soften the song's rough edges.
The Bridge Between Art and Pop
A key achievement on the album involves straddling the line of radical experimentation and broad appeal. This is no coincidence that it has achieved her first release to break into the upper reaches of key markets: its heart contains a suite of utterly undeniable hits. One track sung primarily in English swells around a refrain that feels to collect increasingly nagging hooks while it spins skyward. That trick gets repeated by a different expansive track that grows and contracts, intertwining multiple tunes as an intricate weave.
- A dance-infused song charms via its jaunty, Disney-adjacent flair and a chant-along chorus.
- Lyrically, it aligns with pop culture honesty of contemporary breakup anthems, lambasting a former partner labeled an "emotional bully".
- Throughout the album, the vocals have a sharp smile, like a storybook figure concealing a knife: "Gold medal in acting like a motherfucker / You have won the trophy of disappointment."
An Opulent Banquet for the Ears
This album represents pop on a maximalist scale, an ambitious reach for capital-A Art in an era of looming AI-generated blankness. It eschews self-absorption in favor of sublime elevation, creating an over-the-top drama that masterfully controls its inherent ridiculousness. It is an abundant well of buried gems that requires time to fully explore but never feels like hard work. Where some big pop albums of the year felt like feasting on scraps, Lux is a sumptuous feast where the characters around the table, perhaps intoxicated on sacred wine, flutter from discussions about historical saints, the galvanizing feeling of heartbreaking grief, and common gossip about useless partners. In essence, it's a contemporary musical from music's truly endlessly creative practitioner.
