At first glance, this work could seem closer to a difficult university challenge than a new popular music record from an artist who just had a last single featured a global pop star. Divided into 4 separate sections and voiced in thirteen tongues, this is a dizzying classical-tinged opus investigating female mystique, spiritual ascent, and corporal change, often by way of the perspective of various women saints. The end of a romance—a theme handled with raw honesty elsewhere—is launched heavenward here, supported by the lush sound of a major orchestra and input from a Pulitzer-winning songwriter among a long list of collaborators. Its sheer daring by itself renders the efforts of other pop stars seem rather laughable.
Transcending Scholarly Pretense
That this album manages to avoid overly intellectual posturing is nearly miraculous, and full credit going to the artist. While this is not the first time album to blend historical sounds with the present, its stakes feel much greater on Lux, with the balancing act far more pronounced. What truly raises her fourth album, outside of its multilayered melodies, dense arrangements, and engrained drama, proves to be an essential spirit of fun. Similar to the legendary Björk at her height, there is a wondrous sense to Rosalía's voice that pulls you up in its tornado. Even when she is tearing hearts apart, you still desire to stay alongside her for the ride.
A Prime Example of Exuberance
That exuberant energy comes forth clearly during a stirring piano-led ballad inspired by Saint Clare. It bathes in a string-drenched whirlpool over more than four moments. Then, everything drops silent, to reveal there's a gleeful laugh followed by a declaration prior to a comically exaggerated string surge crashes in with cartoonish force. The track then shifts into the wild track driven by racing orchestration, an imposing choir, and a surprise appearance from none other than herself.
"The charm with Lux is that you never quite know—or even wish to know—where you will go next."
Almost every track concludes in a totally different point than where it started. One moment explores the transient nature of fame over a delicate orchestration before disintegrating in digital cacophony. Another, a song that recalls her previous rhythmic style starts out moody and sinister, featuring menacing vocals, until sudden flamenco rhythms and an angelic choir enter to smooth its rough edges.
The Bridge Between Experiment and Pop
A key balancing act of the album involves navigating the gap between radical innovation and broad appeal. This is little coincidence that it has achieved her highest-charting release to break into the Top 5 of major markets: at its core a collection of utterly undeniable hits. A song performed entirely in the English language swells on a chorus that feels to gather more and more infectious hooks as it spins skyward. This feat is echoed by a different powerful track that grows and contracts, weaving layered melodies like a complex tapestry.
- A dance-infused song seduces with its jaunty, Disney-adjacent drama and an anthemic chorus.
- In its words, it shares the cultural honesty of contemporary heartbreak anthems, lambasting a former partner described as an "emotional terrorist".
- Across the album, the vocals carry a sharp edge, akin to a storybook figure hiding a knife: "Gold medal in being a motherfucker / You've the podium of disappointment."
A Maximalist Banquet for the Soul
This album is popular music on a maximalist level, a hungry reach for high Art amid of impending artificial sameness. It rejects solipsism in favor of glorious transcendence, creating a dramatic drama that skillfully manages its inherent ridiculousness. This is an abundant source of hidden treasure that requires patience to completely explore but doesn't feels like hard work. While other big pop albums of 2025 seemed like a meager scraps, Lux offers a sumptuous banquet where the guests around the table, some intoxicated on holy drink, flit from conversations about ancient saints, the profound feeling of soul-shattering sadness, and shared stories about useless partners. In essence, it's a modern-day theatrical production from music's most restlessly creative visionary.
