Initially, this album may look closer to a difficult scholarly quiz rather than a new pop album by an artist who just had a last single was a collaboration with a global K-pop star. Divided across four different parts and performed in 13 tongues, it is a breathtaking classical-tinged work that delves into female mystique, religious transcendence, and physical transformation, often by way of the lens of various women saints. The dissolution of a love affair—a topic treated with raw honesty on another major 2025 album—soars skyward on this record, carried by the lush sound of a full symphony orchestra and work from an award-winning composer among a long list of contributors. Its sheer ambition by itself renders the efforts of other pop stars look rather laughable.
Transcending Scholarly Pretense
That Lux succeeds in escape dry intellectual posturing is nothing short of miraculous, and full credit going to Rosalía. Although it's not the first time project to blend the past with the present, its ambitions are far greater here, and the balancing act far more precarious. The element that really elevates her fourth release, outside of its multilayered melodies, dense arrangements, and engrained drama, proves to be a core spirit of playfulness. Much like the iconic artist at her height, there is a wondrous quality to the vocalist's singing which sweeps the listener into its whirlwind. Even when she's breaking hearts apart, the listener still want to be right there for the journey.
A Signature Example of Exuberance
This exuberant energy comes forth brightly on the stirring Italian song inspired by Saint Clare. It luxuriates in a sorrowful whirlpool for several moments. Then, everything drops away, and we hear a gleeful laugh and a declaration before a comically over-the-top orchestral crescendo crashes in like cartoonish force. The track then segues into the wild track driven by 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 predict—what you will go to next."
Almost every track ends in a totally different point than how it began. A track examines the transient nature of celebrity over a featherlight symphony only to disintegrating in digital chaos. Another, a song that recalls her earlier trap-infused style starts off moody and brooding, featuring menacing vocals, before sudden flamenco rhythms and a heavenly choir enter to soften its rough corners.
The Bridge Between Experiment and Pop
A key balancing act on Lux is straddling the gap of bold innovation and broad appeal. It is no coincidence that it has achieved the artist's first release to crack the Top 5 of major charts: at its core a suite of utterly undeniable hits. One track sung primarily in the English language swells around a refrain that seems to collect increasingly infectious melodies as it spins skyward. That feat gets echoed on another expansive ballad that grows and contracts, weaving multiple tunes like an intricate tapestry.
- A waltz-like number charms with its jaunty, theatrical flair and a chant-along chorus.
- Lyrically, it aligns with pop culture honesty of contemporary breakup anthems, lambasting a former lover labeled an "emotional bully".
- Throughout the album, the singing have a sharp smile, like a storybook figure hiding a knife: "Top prize in being a scoundrel / You have won the trophy of disappointment."
A Maximalist Banquet for the Ears
This album is pop on a maximalist scale, an ambitious reach for capital-A artistry amid of looming AI-generated blankness. It eschews self-absorption in favor of glorious transcendence, crafting a dramatic drama that skillfully manages its own built-in excess. It is a deep source of hidden gems that requires time to completely explore but never feels like a chore. Where some major pop albums of the year felt like feasting on scraps, this record is a sumptuous feast at which the guests at it, some intoxicated on holy drink, flutter from conversations about historical saints, the galvanizing sensation of soul-shattering sadness, and common gossip about useless men. It is a modern-day musical from music's most restlessly creative visionary.
