Initially, Lux could seem closer to an arduous academic examination than the latest popular music project from a musician whose last hit was a collaboration with an international K-pop star. Split into 4 distinct movements and sung in thirteen languages, it is a breathtaking classical-tinged work that delves into feminine mystique, religious ascent, and bodily change, often through the lens of different women saints. The end of a love affair—a topic treated with grounded openness on another major 2025 album—is shot upwards on this record, carried by the constant presence of a major orchestra and contributions from an award-winning composer among a long list of collaborators. The pure daring alone renders the efforts of other pop stars appear quite laughable.
Transcending Academic Exercise
The fact that Lux manages to transcend overly intellectual chin-stroking feels nothing short of miraculous, with complete credit going to Rosalía. While it's not her first project to blend the past and modern styles, the scale are much higher here, with the tightrope walk far more precarious. What truly elevates her fourth release, outside of its multilayered melodies, rich arrangements, and inherent drama, is an essential sense of playfulness. Similar to the legendary Björk at her height, there is a captivating sense to the vocalist's singing that pulls you into its whirlwind. Even when she's breaking your heart in two, the listener nevertheless want to be right there through the journey.
A Prime Moment of Exuberance
This exuberant energy comes forth brightly during the stirring Italian song inspired by Saint Clare. It bathes in a sorrowful melancholy for several minutes. Suddenly, everything falls silent, and there's a gleeful laugh followed by a declaration before a hilariously exaggerated orchestral surge crashes in like comedic force. The track then segues into the frenetic track featuring racing orchestration, a powerful choir, and a surprise appearance from the artist Björk.
"The magic with this album is that the listener never quite know—or even wish to know—what you is going next."
Almost each song ends at a totally different place than how it began. A track explores the transient nature of fame over a delicate orchestration before collapsing in electronic cacophony. Another, a song that recalls her previous trap-infused work begins off moody and brooding, with prowling vocals, before sudden traditional rhythms and a heavenly chorus enter to smooth the song's jagged edges.
The Balance Of Art and Accessibility
A key balancing act of the album is navigating the line between radical innovation and mainstream appeal. It is little surprise that the album has become her highest-charting release to crack the upper reaches of key charts: at its core a collection of utterly catchy hits. One track performed entirely in the English language swells on a chorus that seems to gather increasingly infectious melodies as it spirals upward. That feat is echoed by another expansive ballad that grows and constricts, weaving multiple melodies as an intricate weave.
- A waltz-like number seduces with its jaunty, theatrical drama and an anthemic chorus.
- Lyrically, it shares the cultural impact of other breakup songs, lambasting a former partner described as an "psychological terrorist".
- Throughout the album, the singing carry a painted-on edge, akin to a fairy-tale character concealing a knife: "Gold medal in acting like a motherfucker / You have the podium of disappointment."
A Maximalist Feast for the Ears
Lux is pop on a grand level, an ambitious reach for capital-A artistry amid of looming AI-generated blankness. It eschews solipsism for glorious elevation, creating a dramatic drama that skillfully manages its own inherent excess. It is an abundant source of buried treasure that takes time to fully explore but doesn't feels like a chore. Where some major releases of 2025 seemed like feasting on meal, this record is a sumptuous banquet at which the characters around the table, some intoxicated on holy wine, flit between conversations about historical figures, the profound feeling of heartbreaking grief, and common stories about hopeless partners. In essence, it's a modern-day musical from pop's most restlessly creative visionary.
