On the surface, this work could seem closer to a challenging university quiz rather than a new popular music album from a musician who just had a last hit was a collaboration with a global pop star. Divided into four distinct parts and performed in thirteen tongues, it is a dizzying symphonic work investigating feminine mystery, spiritual transcendence, and corporal transformation, often through the perspective of different saintly figures. The end of a relationship—a theme treated with grounded openness elsewhere—is launched upwards on this record, buoyed by the lush presence of a full orchestra and work from an award-winning songwriter among an extensive roll call of collaborators. Its sheer ambition alone makes the efforts of contemporary pop stars seem rather small.
Rising Above Scholarly Pretense
The fact that Lux manages to transcend overly intellectual chin-stroking is nothing short of miraculous, with sole credit belonging to Rosalía. While this is not the first time album to alchemize the past with the present, its stakes are much higher on Lux, and the tightrope walk far more precarious. The element that really elevates this fourth release, outside of its complex tunes, rich arrangements, and inherent drama, proves to be a core sense of playfulness. Similar to the legendary Björk during her height, you find a wondrous quality to Rosalía's voice which sweeps you up in its tornado. Even when she is tearing your heart in two, the listener still desire to stay alongside her through the journey.
A Prime Moment of Joy
This playful energy comes forth brightly during a stunning piano-led ballad inspired by a saint. It luxuriates in a sorrowful whirlpool for several minutes. Then, everything falls silent, and there's a spontaneous laugh followed by a comment prior to a comically exaggerated orchestral surge crashes in with comedic force. The track immediately shifts into the wild track driven by galloping strings, an imposing choral group, and a surprise role from none other than Björk.
"The magic with Lux is that you never quite know—nor want to know—where it will go to next."
Nearly each track ends at a totally distinct point than how it began. A track examines the transient nature of fame with a featherlight orchestration before disintegrating into digital cacophony. Another, a cut that recalls the artist's previous trap-infused style starts out dark and sinister, featuring prowling beats, before sudden traditional handclaps and a heavenly choir enter to smooth its rough edges.
The Balance Between Art and Accessibility
Another crucial balancing act of the album involves navigating the gap of bold experimentation and mainstream appeal. This is no coincidence that it has become the artist's highest-charting release to crack the upper reaches of key markets: at its core a collection of truly catchy pop songs. A song sung entirely in English swells around a chorus that feels to gather increasingly nagging hooks while it spirals upward. This feat is echoed by a different powerful track that grows and constricts, weaving multiple melodies like a complex tapestry.
- A waltz-like number charms with its jaunty, Disney-adjacent flair and an anthemic chorus.
- Lyrically, it aligns with pop culture impact of other heartbreak songs, eviscerating a former lover described as an "psychological bully".
- Throughout these tracks, the vocals have a painted-on edge, akin to a storybook character concealing a knife: "Gold medal in acting like a motherfucker / You've won the trophy of disappointment."
An Opulent Banquet for the Ears
Lux is pop on a maximalist level, an ambitious reach for capital-A Art in an era of impending AI-generated blankness. It eschews solipsism for sublime transcendence, creating an over-the-top spectacle that masterfully manages its inherent excess. This is a deep source of hidden gems that requires time to fully explore but never seem like hard work. Where other major pop albums of 2025 seemed like a meager scraps, this record is a lavish feast at which the characters at it, some intoxicated on holy wine, flit from discussions about ancient saints, the profound sensation of soul-shattering sadness, and shared stories about useless men. It is a contemporary musical from pop's truly restlessly creative practitioner.
