On the surface, this album could seem more like a difficult scholarly challenge than the latest pop album by an artist whose previous single featured an international pop icon. Broken into four distinct parts and voiced in 13 tongues, we have a dizzying orchestral-influenced opus exploring female mystique, spiritual ascent, and physical transformation, often via the prism of various female saints. The end of a relationship—a theme treated with raw honesty elsewhere—is shot skyward on this record, buoyed by the constant sound of a full orchestra and contributions from a Pulitzer-winning songwriter within an extensive roll call of collaborators. Its sheer daring alone makes the work of other artists appear quite laughable.
Transcending Scholarly Pretense
The fact that this album succeeds in escape overly intellectual posturing feels nearly miraculous, with sole praise going to Rosalía. While it's not the first time album to alchemize the past with the present, its stakes are much greater here, with the tightrope walk far more dramatic. What really raises this fourth release, outside of its multilayered tunes, rich compositions, and inherent theatricality, proves to be an essential spirit of fun. Much like the legendary artist at her height, you find a captivating sense to Rosalía's voice that pulls the listener up in its whirlwind. Even when she's tearing your heart in two, the listener still want to stay alongside her for the ride.
A Signature Example of Joy
This exuberant spirit comes forth clearly during the stirring Italian song inspired by a saint. It luxuriates in a string-drenched melancholy over more than four minutes. Then, everything falls silent, and there's a gleeful laugh and a declaration prior to a comically over-the-top orchestral crescendo crashes in with comedic impact. The track then segues to the frenetic track driven by galloping orchestration, an imposing choral group, and a cameo role from none other than Björk.
"The magic of Lux lies in you never exactly understand—or even want to predict—what it will go next."
Nearly every track concludes at a completely distinct place than how it began. A track examines the fleeting trappings of celebrity with a featherlight orchestration before collapsing in electronic cacophony. Another, a cut echoing her earlier trap-infused work begins off dark and brooding, featuring prowling vocals, before sudden flamenco handclaps and a heavenly choir arrive to soften its rough edges.
The Bridge Between Art and Accessibility
A key balancing act on the album involves straddling the line of radical experimentation and broad appeal. It is no coincidence that it has achieved her first release to break into the upper reaches of major markets: its heart contains a collection of truly catchy hits. One track performed entirely in English builds around a refrain that seems to gather increasingly nagging melodies as it spirals skyward. This feat gets repeated by a different powerful track that grows and contracts, weaving layered melodies as a complex tapestry.
- A waltz-like number seduces with its playful, Disney-adjacent flair and an anthemic chorus.
- In its words, it aligns the pop culture impact of other breakup songs, eviscerating an ex- lover labeled an "psychological terrorist".
- Throughout these tracks, the singing have a sharp smile, akin to a fairy-tale character concealing a knife: "Gold medal in acting like a motherfucker / You've the podium of disappointment."
An Opulent Banquet for the Soul
This album is pop on a maximalist scale, an ambitious reach for high artistry amid of impending artificial blankness. It eschews solipsism for glorious transcendence, crafting a dramatic drama that masterfully controls its own built-in ridiculousness. It is an abundant source of buried gems that requires patience to fully explore but never feels like hard work. Where some major releases of 2025 seemed like feasting on scraps, Lux is a sumptuous banquet at which the guests around the table, some intoxicated on holy wine, flit from discussions about historical saints, the galvanizing sensation of soul-shattering grief, and shared gossip about hopeless partners. In essence, it's a modern-day musical from pop's truly endlessly inventive visionary.
