On the surface, this album could seem more like an arduous academic examination than a new pop project from an artist whose previous single was a collaboration with a global K-pop icon. Split across four distinct parts and performed in 13 tongues, it is a breathtaking classical-tinged opus that delves into female mystery, spiritual ascent, and physical change, often via the prism of various women saints. The end of a relationship—a theme handled with raw honesty on another major 2025 album—soars upwards on this record, carried by the lush presence of a full orchestra and contributions from an award-winning songwriter among a vast roll call of collaborators. The pure audacity alone renders the work of other pop stars appear quite laughable.
Rising Above Scholarly Pretense
The fact that Lux manages to transcend overly academic posturing is almost miraculous, and full credit belonging to Rosalía. While this is not her first album to fuse historical sounds with the present, its scale feel far greater here, with the balancing act more dramatic. The element that truly elevates this fourth release, outside of its multilayered tunes, rich compositions, and engrained theatricality, proves to be an essential sense of fun. Similar to the iconic Björk at her height, there is a captivating sense to Rosalía's singing which sweeps you into its tornado. Even when she is tearing hearts in two, the listener nevertheless want to be alongside her through the journey.
A Signature Moment of Exuberance
This exuberant spirit shines brightly on a stunning piano-led ballad inspired by Saint Clare. It luxuriates in a sorrowful melancholy over more than four moments. Then, everything drops silent, to reveal there's a spontaneous giggle and a comment before a comically over-the-top orchestral crescendo thuds down with comedic force. The track then shifts into the frenetic single featuring galloping strings, a powerful choral group, and a cameo appearance from none other than herself.
"The charm of this album is that the listener rarely exactly understand—nor want to predict—where you will go next."
Nearly each track finishes in a totally distinct point from where it began. One moment examines the transient nature of celebrity with a featherlight orchestration only to collapsing in electronic chaos. Another, a cut that recalls her previous trap-infused style starts out moody and brooding, with menacing beats, before fluttering traditional rhythms and an angelic chorus arrive to smooth the song's jagged edges.
The Bridge Of Art and Pop
Another crucial balancing act on Lux is navigating the line of bold innovation and broad accessibility. It is little surprise that the album has achieved the artist's highest-charting work to crack the upper reaches of key charts: its heart contains a suite of truly catchy hits. One track sung entirely in the English language swells around a chorus that feels to gather more and more infectious melodies as it spins upward. That feat gets echoed on a different expansive track that expands and contracts, weaving multiple melodies as an intricate tapestry.
- A dance-infused song seduces via its jaunty, Disney-adjacent flair and an anthemic hook.
- In its words, it aligns the pop culture impact of contemporary breakup anthems, lambasting a former partner described as an "emotional bully".
- Across these tracks, the vocals carry a painted-on edge, like a storybook character concealing a knife: "Gold medal in acting like a motherfucker / You've the podium of disappointment."
A Maximalist Feast for the Soul
This album is pop on a grand level, a hungry reach for high artistry amid of looming AI-generated blankness. It rejects solipsism in favor of sublime transcendence, creating a dramatic spectacle that masterfully manages its own built-in ridiculousness. This is an abundant well of hidden gems that requires time to completely mine but doesn't feels like hard work. Where other big pop albums of the year seemed like a meager meal, Lux offers a lavish banquet at which the guests around it, perhaps intoxicated on sacred wine, flutter from conversations about ancient saints, the galvanizing sensation of soul-shattering sadness, and shared gossip about useless partners. In essence, it's a contemporary musical from music's most restlessly creative practitioner.
