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On the surface, this album may look closer to a challenging scholarly quiz rather than the latest pop album by an artist whose last hit was a collaboration with a global K-pop star. Split into 4 separate parts and sung in thirteen tongues, we have a breathtaking classical-tinged work that delves into feminine mystique, spiritual transcendence, and physical change, frequently via the prism of different women saints. The end of a romance—a topic handled with grounded openness elsewhere—is launched heavenward on this record, supported by the lush presence of a major symphony orchestra and work from an award-winning composer among a long roll call of contributors. The pure daring alone makes the work of other pop stars seem quite small.

Rising Above Scholarly Pretense

The fact that Lux succeeds in avoid dry intellectual chin-stroking is nearly a miracle, with full praise belonging to Rosalía. Although this is not her first project to fuse historical sounds with modern styles, its stakes feel much greater here, and the tightrope walk far more dramatic. The element that truly raises her fourth album, beyond its complex tunes, rich compositions, and engrained theatricality, is an essential spirit of joy. Similar to the iconic Björk at her peak, there is a wondrous quality to Rosalía's singing that pulls the listener up in its tornado. When she is tearing hearts in two, you nevertheless desire to be right there for the ride.

A Signature Moment of Joy

That exuberant spirit shines clearly on the stirring Italian ballad inspired by Saint Clare. It bathes in a sorrowful whirlpool over several moments. Then, everything drops away, to reveal we hear a spontaneous giggle followed by a comment before a comically over-the-top orchestral crescendo crashes in like cartoonish impact. The track immediately segues into the wild track driven by racing orchestration, an imposing choir, and a cameo appearance from the artist herself.

"The charm with this album is that you rarely quite understand—or even want to predict—what it is going next."

Nearly each song finishes in a completely different point than how it started. A track explores the transient nature of celebrity with a featherlight orchestration only to disintegrating in digital chaos. Another, a song echoing the artist's earlier trap-infused work begins off moody and sinister, with menacing vocals, until fluttering traditional rhythms and a heavenly chorus arrive to soften the song's rough edges.

The Bridge Of Art and Pop

Another crucial balancing act on the album is navigating the line between bold experimentation and broad appeal. It is no surprise that it has achieved her first release to crack the upper reaches of major markets: its heart contains a collection of truly undeniable pop songs. A song performed primarily in English swells around a refrain that seems to gather increasingly nagging hooks while it spirals upward. This trick is repeated on another powerful track that grows and contracts, weaving multiple tunes as an intricate weave.

• A dance-infused number charms via its playful, Disney-adjacent flair and an anthemic hook.
• In its words, it shares the pop culture honesty of other heartbreak songs, lambasting a former partner described as an "emotional terrorist".
• Across these tracks, the singing carry a sharp smile, like a fairy-tale figure concealing a knife: "Top prize in being a scoundrel / You have won the trophy of letdown."

A Maximalist Feast for the Ears

Lux is popular music on a maximalist scale, a hungry grasp for high artistry amid of looming AI-generated sameness. It eschews self-absorption for sublime transcendence, crafting an over-the-top spectacle that skillfully manages its built-in excess. This is an abundant source of buried treasure that takes patience to completely explore but never feels like hard work. Where other major pop albums of the year felt like a meager scraps, Lux offers a sumptuous banquet where the guests around it, perhaps tipsy on holy drink, flit between discussions about historical saints, the galvanizing feeling of heartbreaking sadness, and common gossip about useless partners. It is a modern-day theatrical production from pop's truly endlessly inventive practitioner.