At first glance, this work could seem more like an arduous scholarly examination rather than the latest pop record from an artist whose previous single featured an international K-pop icon. Split across four distinct movements and performed in thirteen tongues, we have a head-spinning classical-tinged opus that delves into feminine mystery, spiritual ascent, and physical transformation, often through the prism of different female saints. The end of a romance—a theme handled with raw honesty on another major 2025 album—is launched heavenward on this record, supported by the lush sound of a full orchestra and work from an award-winning composer among a vast list of contributors. The pure daring by itself renders the work of other pop stars appear rather laughable.
Transcending Academic Exercise
That this album succeeds in transcend dry intellectual chin-stroking is nearly a miracle, and full credit belonging to the artist. Although this is not her first album to fuse historical sounds and modern styles, the ambitions are much higher here, with the balancing act more precarious. What truly elevates her fourth album, outside of its multilayered melodies, rich arrangements, and engrained theatricality, proves to be an essential sense of joy. Similar to the legendary Björk during her height, there is a captivating sense to Rosalía's singing that pulls you up in its tornado. Even when she is tearing hearts apart, the listener still want to stay right there for the journey.
A Prime Example of Exuberance
That exuberant energy comes forth clearly on the stunning Italian ballad inspired by Saint Clare. It bathes in a string-drenched melancholy for several minutes. Then, everything drops silent, and we hear a spontaneous giggle and a declaration before a hilariously over-the-top string surge thuds in like cartoonish impact. The song then segues into the wild track featuring galloping strings, an imposing choir, and a surprise appearance from the artist herself.
"The magic with this album lies in you rarely quite understand—nor want to know—where it will go to next."
Almost every track finishes in a totally different place from where it started. A track examines the fleeting nature of celebrity over a delicate orchestration only to collapsing in digital cacophony. Another, a song that recalls the artist's previous rhythmic work begins off moody and brooding, featuring menacing beats, before fluttering flamenco rhythms and an angelic choir enter to soften the song's jagged corners.
The Balance Between Art & Pop
A key balancing act of Lux is straddling the line of bold innovation and mainstream appeal. This is no coincidence that the album has become the artist's first release to break into the upper reaches of major charts: its heart contains a suite of utterly catchy pop songs. One track sung entirely in English builds on a chorus that seems to gather more and more infectious melodies while it spins upward. That feat is repeated by a different expansive track that expands and constricts, weaving layered melodies like a complex weave.
- A dance-infused number charms with its jaunty, Disney-adjacent drama and a chant-along chorus.
- In its words, it shares the pop culture impact of contemporary heartbreak songs, eviscerating a former lover labeled an "emotional terrorist".
- Across these tracks, the singing carry a sharp edge, like a storybook character concealing a knife: "Top prize in acting like a motherfucker / You have the podium of letdown."
An Opulent Banquet for the Soul
Lux is pop on a maximalist level, a hungry grasp for capital-A artistry amid of looming artificial sameness. It rejects self-absorption in favor of sublime transcendence, creating an over-the-top drama that skillfully manages its built-in ridiculousness. This is an abundant well of buried gems that takes time to completely explore but doesn't feels like hard work. While other big releases of the year felt like a meager meal, this record is a lavish feast where the characters at the table, perhaps tipsy on sacred wine, flutter between discussions about historical figures, the galvanizing feeling of heartbreaking sadness, and shared gossip about useless men. In essence, it's a modern-day theatrical production from pop's most endlessly inventive visionary.
