At first glance, Lux could seem closer to a difficult academic examination rather than a new pop record from an artist whose last single was a collaboration with a global K-pop star. Split into four separate sections and voiced in thirteen languages, this is a dizzying symphonic opus that delves into female mystery, religious ascent, and bodily transformation, frequently via the prism of different saintly figures. The end of a love affair—a theme treated with grounded openness on another major 2025 album—soars skyward on this record, supported by the lush presence of a full orchestra and contributions from an award-winning composer among an extensive list of collaborators. The pure ambition alone renders the efforts of contemporary artists appear rather laughable.
Transcending Academic Exercise
That this album manages to avoid dry intellectual posturing is almost miraculous, with complete credit belonging to Rosalía. Although it's not the first time project to alchemize historical sounds with the present, the scale feel far higher here, with the tightrope walk more precarious. What really raises this fourth release, beyond its complex melodies, dense compositions, and engrained theatricality, is an essential spirit of joy. Much like the iconic artist at her peak, you find a captivating quality to the vocalist's voice which sweeps you into its tornado. When she is tearing your heart apart, the listener still want to stay right there through the journey.
A Prime Example of Exuberance
This playful spirit shines brightly during the stunning Italian ballad about a saint. It luxuriates in a string-drenched whirlpool over several moments. Then, everything falls away, to reveal we hear a gleeful laugh followed by a declaration before a hilariously over-the-top string surge crashes down like comedic force. The track then shifts into the wild track driven by galloping orchestration, a powerful choral group, and a cameo appearance from the artist Björk.
"The charm with Lux is that the listener never exactly understand—or even wish to know—where you will go next."
Nearly each track finishes in a completely distinct point from where it started. One moment explores the transient trappings of fame with a delicate orchestration before disintegrating in electronic cacophony. Another, a song echoing the artist's previous rhythmic style starts off moody and sinister, featuring prowling beats, before sudden traditional handclaps and an angelic chorus arrive to soften its rough edges.
The Bridge Between Experiment and Accessibility
Another crucial achievement on Lux is straddling the line of bold experimentation and broad accessibility. It is no coincidence that the album has become her first release to break into the Top 5 of major charts: at its core a suite of utterly undeniable pop songs. A song sung primarily in the English language swells on a refrain that seems to collect increasingly infectious hooks while it spirals upward. This feat gets echoed by another powerful ballad that expands and contracts, weaving multiple tunes as a complex tapestry.
- A dance-infused number charms with its jaunty, Disney-adjacent drama and a chant-along chorus.
- Lyrically, it shares with pop culture impact of contemporary breakup songs, eviscerating a former lover described as an "emotional terrorist".
- Throughout the album, the singing carry a painted-on smile, akin to a storybook figure concealing a blade: "Gold medal in being a scoundrel / You've won the trophy of disappointment."
A Maximalist Feast for the Ears
This album is pop on a grand scale, an ambitious grasp for capital-A Art in an era of looming AI-generated sameness. It rejects self-absorption for sublime elevation, creating an over-the-top drama that masterfully controls its own inherent excess. It is an abundant source of buried gems that takes time to completely mine but doesn't feels like a chore. While some major releases of the year felt like a meager scraps, this record is a sumptuous feast at which the guests at the table, perhaps tipsy on holy drink, flit between conversations about historical saints, the profound sensation of heartbreaking grief, and shared gossip about useless partners. It is a contemporary theatrical production from pop's most restlessly inventive visionary.
