Initially, this work might appear closer to a challenging academic examination rather than the latest popular music project from an artist who just had a last single was a collaboration with an international pop star. Split into 4 separate parts and voiced in thirteen languages, this is a dizzying classical-tinged album that delves into feminine mystique, religious transcendence, and physical transformation, often through the prism of different female saints. The end of a relationship—a theme handled with raw openness on another major 2025 album—is shot upwards on this record, supported by the constant sound of a major orchestra and contributions from an award-winning composer among an extensive list of collaborators. Its sheer ambition alone makes the work of other artists appear quite small.
Transcending Academic Pretense
The fact that Lux succeeds in avoid overly academic chin-stroking feels nearly a miracle, and full praise belonging to the artist. Although this is not her first project to alchemize historical sounds and modern styles, its scale feel much higher here, and the tightrope walk more precarious. The element that truly elevates this fourth album, outside of its multilayered tunes, dense arrangements, and inherent theatricality, proves to be an essential spirit of fun. Similar to the iconic artist during her height, there is a wondrous sense to Rosalía's voice which sweeps you into its tornado. When she's tearing your heart in two, you nevertheless want to be alongside her for the ride.
A Signature Example of Joy
That exuberant spirit comes forth brightly on a stunning piano-led song inspired by Saint Clare. It luxuriates in a string-drenched melancholy over several moments. Then, all the music drops away, and there's a spontaneous laugh followed by a declaration prior to a hilariously exaggerated string crescendo thuds down like cartoonish impact. The track immediately shifts to the wild single featuring racing strings, a powerful choir, and a cameo appearance from none other than herself.
"The charm with Lux is that you rarely exactly know—or even want to know—what you will go to next."
Almost every track finishes in a completely different place than how it began. A track explores the fleeting trappings of celebrity with a featherlight orchestration only to disintegrating in electronic cacophony. Another, a song echoing her previous trap-infused work begins out moody and brooding, featuring prowling beats, before sudden traditional rhythms and a heavenly chorus enter to smooth its jagged corners.
The Balance Between Experiment and Accessibility
Another crucial achievement on Lux involves straddling the gap of bold experimentation and mainstream accessibility. This is no coincidence that it has achieved her first work to crack the Top 5 of key charts: its heart contains a collection of utterly undeniable hits. One track sung primarily in the English language swells around a chorus that seems to gather increasingly nagging melodies as it spins upward. That trick gets echoed on a different powerful ballad that expands and constricts, weaving multiple melodies like an intricate tapestry.
- A waltz-like number seduces with its jaunty, theatrical flair and a chant-along chorus.
- Lyrically, it shares with pop culture impact of other heartbreak songs, eviscerating a former partner described as an "psychological terrorist".
- Throughout the album, the singing carry a sharp edge, akin to a storybook figure hiding a blade: "Gold medal in acting like a scoundrel / You have won the trophy of disappointment."
A Maximalist Feast for the Ears
Lux is popular music on a maximalist level, a hungry grasp for high Art in an era of impending AI-generated sameness. It rejects self-absorption in favor of glorious elevation, crafting a dramatic spectacle that skillfully controls its built-in excess. This is an abundant source of hidden gems that requires time to fully explore but never feels like a chore. Where other big releases of the year felt like feasting on meal, Lux offers a lavish banquet where the guests at the table, perhaps tipsy on holy wine, flit from discussions about historical saints, the galvanizing sensation of heartbreaking grief, and shared gossip about useless men. It is a contemporary theatrical production from pop's most endlessly inventive visionary.
