Initially, this album could seem closer to a challenging academic examination than a new popular music record from an artist who just had a last single featured an international pop star. Split across four distinct sections and performed in thirteen languages, it is a head-spinning classical-tinged work exploring feminine mystique, religious transcendence, and bodily transformation, often by way of the prism of various women saints. The end of a romance—a topic treated with raw honesty elsewhere—is shot skyward on this record, supported by the lush sound of a full symphony orchestra and contributions from a Pulitzer-winning songwriter among an extensive roll call of contributors. Its sheer daring alone makes the work of contemporary artists appear quite modest.
Rising Above Scholarly Pretense
That Lux succeeds in escape dry intellectual posturing is almost a miracle, with complete praise going to the artist. While it's not the first time project to alchemize historical sounds with modern styles, the ambitions feel far higher on Lux, and the balancing act far more dramatic. What really elevates this fourth album, outside of its multilayered melodies, rich arrangements, and inherent drama, proves to be an essential spirit of playfulness. Much like the iconic Björk during her height, you find a wondrous quality to Rosalía's singing that pulls the listener up in its whirlwind. Even when she is breaking hearts in two, you nevertheless want to be alongside her for the journey.
A Prime Example of Exuberance
This exuberant spirit shines clearly on the stunning piano-led ballad inspired by Saint Clare. It luxuriates in a sorrowful melancholy for more than four minutes. Suddenly, all the music falls silent, to reveal we hear a spontaneous laugh and a declaration before a comically exaggerated string surge crashes down like cartoonish force. The track then segues to the wild single driven by galloping strings, an imposing choir, and a cameo appearance from none other than Björk.
"The magic with Lux lies in you rarely exactly know—nor wish to predict—where it will go next."
Nearly each song finishes in a totally different point from where it started. A track explores the transient nature of celebrity with a featherlight symphony before disintegrating into digital chaos. Another, a song echoing the artist's earlier trap-infused work begins off dark and sinister, featuring menacing vocals, until fluttering flamenco rhythms and an angelic choir enter to smooth its jagged corners.
The Bridge Between Art & Pop
Another crucial achievement on Lux is navigating the line between bold innovation and mainstream accessibility. It is no coincidence that it has become the artist's first work to break into the upper reaches of major markets: at its core a collection of utterly undeniable hits. A song performed entirely in the English language swells on a chorus that seems to gather increasingly infectious melodies while it spins skyward. This feat gets echoed by a different expansive track that grows and contracts, intertwining layered tunes as a complex weave.
- A dance-infused song charms via its playful, Disney-adjacent drama and a chant-along chorus.
- Lyrically, it shares the cultural honesty of other breakup songs, eviscerating a former lover labeled an "emotional bully".
- Across these tracks, the vocals have a sharp smile, like a fairy-tale figure hiding a blade: "Gold medal in acting like a motherfucker / You have the podium of letdown."
A Maximalist Feast for the Ears
Lux is popular music on a grand level, an ambitious reach for capital-A artistry amid of looming AI-generated blankness. It rejects solipsism for sublime elevation, crafting an over-the-top spectacle that skillfully manages its inherent ridiculousness. This is an abundant well of buried treasure that requires patience to fully explore but never feels like a chore. Where other big releases of 2025 felt like a meager meal, Lux is a lavish feast where the characters around the table, some tipsy on holy wine, flit from discussions about ancient figures, the galvanizing sensation of heartbreaking sadness, and shared stories about hopeless partners. It is a modern-day musical from music's most endlessly inventive practitioner.
