At first glance, this work may look closer to an arduous scholarly quiz than the latest pop record from an artist whose last single was a collaboration with an international K-pop star. Split into 4 distinct movements and sung in 13 tongues, this is a head-spinning symphonic album exploring female mystery, religious transcendence, and physical transformation, often by way of the prism of various women saints. The end of a love affair—a theme handled with raw openness on another major 2025 album—is shot skyward on this record, carried by the lush sound of a major orchestra and contributions from a Pulitzer-winning songwriter within a vast list of collaborators. Its sheer audacity by itself renders the efforts of other pop stars seem quite small.
Transcending Academic Pretense
The fact that this album succeeds in avoid overly intellectual posturing feels nearly a miracle, with complete credit going to the artist. While this is not the first time project to blend the past with modern styles, its scale feel much greater on Lux, and the tightrope walk far more pronounced. The element that truly elevates her fourth album, outside of its complex tunes, rich arrangements, and engrained drama, is an essential spirit of joy. Similar to the iconic Björk during her peak, you find a wondrous quality to Rosalía's voice which sweeps the listener into its tornado. When she is tearing hearts in two, the listener nevertheless want to be alongside her through the ride.
A Prime Moment of Joy
That exuberant energy comes forth brightly during a stirring Italian song about a saint. It luxuriates in a string-drenched whirlpool over more than four minutes. Suddenly, everything drops silent, to reveal there's a spontaneous giggle followed by a comment before a hilariously exaggerated orchestral crescendo thuds in with comedic force. The track immediately segues to the wild track driven by racing strings, a powerful choir, and a cameo role from the artist Björk.
"The charm with Lux is that you rarely exactly know—or even wish to predict—where you will go to next."
Almost every track finishes at a completely distinct place from how it began. A track explores the fleeting trappings of fame with a featherlight symphony before collapsing in electronic chaos. Elsewhere, a song echoing the artist's earlier trap-infused work begins off moody and brooding, featuring prowling beats, before sudden flamenco handclaps and an angelic choir arrive to smooth the song's jagged edges.
The Balance Of Art and Accessibility
A key balancing act on the album is navigating the line of bold experimentation and mainstream appeal. This is no surprise that the album has achieved the artist's first work to break into the Top 5 of major charts: at its core a collection of truly catchy pop songs. A song performed primarily in English builds around a refrain that feels to gather more and more nagging hooks while it spins skyward. This trick gets repeated by another powerful ballad that expands and constricts, weaving layered melodies like an intricate tapestry.
- A dance-infused song seduces with its playful, Disney-adjacent drama and a chant-along hook.
- Lyrically, it aligns with cultural honesty of contemporary breakup anthems, eviscerating a former lover described as an "psychological bully".
- Throughout these tracks, the vocals carry a sharp smile, like a storybook figure hiding a knife: "Gold medal in being a motherfucker / You have the podium of disappointment."
A Maximalist Feast for the Ears
This album is popular music on a maximalist scale, a hungry reach for high artistry in an era of impending artificial sameness. It eschews solipsism in favor of glorious elevation, crafting a dramatic spectacle that skillfully manages its own inherent ridiculousness. This is a deep well of hidden treasure that takes time to completely explore but doesn't seem like a chore. Where some big pop albums of the year seemed like feasting on meal, this record is a sumptuous feast at which the guests around the table, perhaps intoxicated on sacred drink, flit from discussions about ancient saints, the galvanizing feeling of soul-shattering grief, and shared gossip about useless men. In essence, it's a modern-day theatrical production from pop's most endlessly creative visionary.
