On the surface, this album might appear more like a difficult university examination rather than a new popular music project from an artist whose previous hit was a collaboration with a global pop star. Broken across 4 different parts and performed in thirteen tongues, this is a head-spinning classical-tinged opus exploring feminine mystique, spiritual transcendence, and physical change, frequently via the perspective of various female saints. The dissolution of a romance—a topic handled with raw openness elsewhere—is shot skyward on this record, supported by the lush presence of a major symphony orchestra and input from an award-winning songwriter among a vast list of contributors. Its sheer audacity alone makes the efforts of contemporary artists seem quite small.
Transcending Scholarly Pretense
The fact that this album succeeds in avoid overly academic chin-stroking feels nothing short of a miracle, with sole praise belonging to the artist. While it's not her first project to blend historical sounds with the present, the stakes are much greater on Lux, and the balancing act more dramatic. The element that really elevates this fourth album, outside of its complex melodies, rich arrangements, and engrained theatricality, is an essential spirit of joy. Similar to the iconic Björk during her peak, you find a captivating sense to Rosalía's voice that pulls you into its whirlwind. When she is breaking hearts in two, the listener nevertheless desire to stay alongside her through the ride.
A Prime Moment of Joy
This playful energy comes forth brightly during a stirring Italian ballad about a saint. It luxuriates in a sorrowful whirlpool for more than four moments. Then, all the music drops silent, to reveal there's a spontaneous giggle and a declaration before a hilariously over-the-top string surge crashes in like cartoonish force. The song immediately segues into the frenetic track driven by galloping strings, a powerful choral group, and a surprise appearance from none other than herself.
"The charm of Lux lies in you rarely quite understand—or even want to predict—what you is going to next."
Almost every track ends at a totally distinct place than where it started. One moment explores the transient nature of celebrity over a featherlight symphony only to collapsing in digital chaos. Elsewhere, a song that recalls the artist's earlier trap-infused work starts off dark and sinister, featuring prowling beats, before fluttering traditional handclaps and an angelic choir enter to soften its jagged edges.
The Balance Of Experiment and Pop
Another crucial balancing act on Lux involves straddling the gap between radical innovation and mainstream appeal. It is little surprise that it has become the artist's highest-charting work to break into the Top 5 of key charts: its heart contains a suite of truly undeniable hits. A song sung entirely in English swells around a chorus that seems to gather more and more nagging hooks while it spirals skyward. That feat is echoed by another powerful ballad that expands and constricts, weaving multiple tunes as a complex weave.
- A waltz-like song seduces via its jaunty, theatrical drama and a chant-along chorus.
- In its words, it shares the cultural honesty of contemporary breakup anthems, lambasting an ex- lover labeled an "emotional terrorist".
- Throughout these tracks, the singing carry a sharp edge, like a fairy-tale figure concealing a knife: "Gold medal in acting like a motherfucker / You have the podium of disappointment."
A Maximalist Banquet for the Ears
Lux represents popular music on a grand level, an ambitious grasp for capital-A Art in an era of looming artificial sameness. It eschews self-absorption for sublime elevation, creating a dramatic spectacle that masterfully manages its inherent excess. This is a deep source of hidden treasure that takes patience to fully mine but doesn't seem like a chore. While some major releases of the year felt like feasting on meal, this record is a sumptuous feast at which the characters around the table, perhaps tipsy on sacred wine, flit between discussions about historical saints, the galvanizing feeling of soul-shattering sadness, and shared stories about useless partners. It is a modern-day musical from music's truly endlessly inventive practitioner.
