On the surface, this work could seem more like a difficult university examination than a new pop project by an artist who just had a last hit featured a global K-pop icon. Divided across 4 separate sections and sung in 13 tongues, it is a breathtaking classical-tinged album investigating female mystery, religious ascent, and corporal transformation, often through the lens of various female saints. The end of a relationship—a theme handled with grounded honesty elsewhere—is launched upwards on this record, carried by the lush sound of a full orchestra and input from an award-winning songwriter within a long list of collaborators. The pure daring by itself makes the efforts of contemporary pop stars seem quite modest.
Rising Above Scholarly Exercise
The fact that Lux manages to transcend overly academic chin-stroking feels almost a miracle, and sole praise going to Rosalía. While it's not the first time project to blend the past and the present, its ambitions are far higher here, and the balancing act far more precarious. What truly elevates this fourth release, beyond its multilayered tunes, rich arrangements, and engrained theatricality, is a core spirit of fun. Similar to the iconic Björk during her peak, you find a wondrous sense to Rosalía's singing that pulls the listener up in its tornado. When she's breaking your heart in two, you nevertheless desire to stay right there for the ride.
A Signature Example of Exuberance
This exuberant spirit comes forth clearly during the stunning Italian song inspired by a saint. It luxuriates in a sorrowful melancholy for several minutes. Then, everything falls away, to reveal there's a gleeful giggle followed by a comment before a hilariously exaggerated string surge crashes down with comedic impact. The track then segues into the frenetic track featuring racing orchestration, an imposing choral group, and a surprise appearance from the artist Björk.
"The magic with Lux is that you rarely exactly know—or even wish to predict—where it will go to next."
Almost every track finishes at a totally different place than where it began. One moment examines the fleeting nature of fame over a delicate orchestration only to disintegrating into digital cacophony. Elsewhere, a song that recalls the artist's previous rhythmic style begins out dark and sinister, with menacing beats, before sudden traditional rhythms and an angelic choir arrive to smooth its rough edges.
The Bridge Between Art and Accessibility
Another crucial achievement on the album is straddling the gap of radical innovation and broad appeal. It is little coincidence that the album has become the artist's highest-charting release to crack the Top 5 of major charts: its heart contains a collection of utterly undeniable pop songs. One track sung entirely in the English language builds on a chorus that seems to collect increasingly nagging hooks while it spins upward. This feat is echoed by a different powerful track that grows and contracts, weaving layered melodies as a complex weave.
- A waltz-like number seduces via its jaunty, theatrical flair and an anthemic chorus.
- Lyrically, it aligns with pop culture impact of other heartbreak anthems, eviscerating a former partner labeled an "emotional bully".
- Throughout the album, the vocals have a painted-on edge, akin to a fairy-tale character hiding a blade: "Gold medal in being a motherfucker / You've the podium of disappointment."
A Maximalist Banquet for the Ears
This album represents pop on a maximalist scale, an ambitious reach for high Art amid of impending artificial sameness. It eschews solipsism for sublime transcendence, creating an over-the-top drama that skillfully controls its built-in ridiculousness. This is a deep well of hidden gems that takes patience to completely mine but never feels like hard work. While some major pop albums of 2025 felt like a meager scraps, this record is a sumptuous banquet where the characters around it, perhaps tipsy on sacred wine, flit from conversations about ancient saints, the galvanizing feeling of soul-shattering grief, and shared stories about useless men. It is a modern-day musical from pop's most endlessly creative practitioner.
