At first glance, this work might appear more like a challenging university examination rather than the latest pop album by an artist whose last hit was a collaboration with a global pop icon. Split across 4 separate movements and voiced in thirteen tongues, we have a head-spinning orchestral-influenced work that delves into feminine mystery, religious ascent, and bodily transformation, often through the prism of different saintly figures. The dissolution of a romance—a topic treated with grounded honesty elsewhere—is shot heavenward here, carried by the lush sound of a full symphony orchestra and work from a Pulitzer-winning composer within an extensive list of contributors. Its sheer daring alone renders the work of other artists appear quite modest.
Transcending Academic Pretense
That this album succeeds in transcend overly academic chin-stroking feels nearly a miracle, with sole praise going to the artist. Although it's not the first time project to blend the past and modern styles, its ambitions feel far higher on Lux, with the tightrope walk more precarious. The element that truly raises her fourth album, outside of its multilayered melodies, dense compositions, and inherent theatricality, proves to be an essential spirit of playfulness. Similar to the legendary artist at her peak, there is a wondrous sense to Rosalía's voice that pulls the listener into its tornado. Even when she is tearing your heart apart, the listener nevertheless want to stay alongside her through the ride.
A Prime Moment of Joy
That exuberant energy shines brightly during a stunning Italian ballad inspired by Saint Clare. It bathes in a string-drenched whirlpool for several minutes. Then, all the music falls away, to reveal there's a gleeful laugh followed by a declaration before a hilariously exaggerated orchestral surge crashes down like comedic force. The song then shifts into the frenetic single driven by racing strings, a powerful choir, and a cameo role from none other than herself.
"The magic of this album is that the listener never quite know—or even want to know—where you is going to next."
Almost every song finishes in a totally distinct point than how it started. One moment examines the transient trappings of fame over a featherlight orchestration only to collapsing into electronic cacophony. Elsewhere, a cut that recalls the artist's earlier rhythmic style starts out moody and sinister, with prowling vocals, until sudden flamenco handclaps and a heavenly choir arrive to smooth its rough corners.
The Bridge Between Art & Accessibility
Another crucial achievement on Lux involves straddling the gap of radical experimentation and mainstream appeal. This is little surprise that it has become her first work to crack the upper reaches of major markets: at its core a collection of truly undeniable pop songs. One track sung primarily in English swells around a chorus that seems to collect more and more infectious hooks as it spins upward. This trick is echoed by another powerful ballad that expands and constricts, intertwining layered tunes as an intricate tapestry.
- A waltz-like number charms with its playful, theatrical drama and an anthemic chorus.
- In its words, it shares the cultural honesty of other heartbreak anthems, eviscerating a former lover labeled an "emotional bully".
- Across these tracks, the vocals have a sharp edge, like a storybook character concealing a knife: "Gold medal in acting like a scoundrel / You've won the trophy of letdown."
An Opulent Feast for the Soul
Lux represents popular music on a maximalist level, an ambitious grasp for high artistry in an era of looming AI-generated sameness. It rejects self-absorption for sublime elevation, creating an over-the-top spectacle that masterfully manages its own inherent ridiculousness. This is a deep source of hidden gems that requires time to fully explore but doesn't feels like hard work. Where some big releases of 2025 felt like a meager meal, Lux offers a lavish banquet at which the guests around the table, some tipsy on holy wine, flutter between discussions about historical saints, the profound feeling of heartbreaking sadness, and common stories about hopeless men. In essence, it's a contemporary musical from music's truly endlessly inventive practitioner.
