On the surface, this work may look closer to an arduous university examination than the latest popular music record from an artist who just had a previous single featured an international pop icon. Split across 4 distinct parts and sung in 13 languages, this is a dizzying symphonic album that delves into feminine mystery, religious ascent, and physical transformation, frequently by way of the prism of various female saints. The end of a relationship—a theme treated with raw openness on another major 2025 album—is launched heavenward on this record, carried by the constant sound of a full orchestra and work from an award-winning songwriter among a long roll call of collaborators. Its sheer ambition by itself renders the efforts of other pop stars seem rather modest.
Rising Above Scholarly Exercise
That this album manages to avoid overly intellectual chin-stroking feels almost miraculous, and sole credit belonging to Rosalía. While this is not the first time project to alchemize historical sounds and modern styles, the ambitions feel much greater on Lux, and the tightrope walk more precarious. What truly raises this fourth album, beyond its multilayered melodies, dense compositions, and inherent theatricality, is a core spirit of fun. Much like the legendary Björk during her peak, there is a captivating sense to the vocalist's singing that pulls you up in its tornado. When she's tearing hearts apart, the listener still want to be alongside her for the journey.
A Prime Example of Exuberance
That exuberant spirit comes forth clearly during the stirring Italian song inspired by Saint Clare. It bathes in a string-drenched whirlpool over several minutes. Suddenly, everything drops silent, and there's a spontaneous giggle and a declaration prior to a comically over-the-top string crescendo thuds in like comedic force. The song immediately shifts to the frenetic single driven by galloping strings, a powerful choral group, and a cameo role from none other than Björk.
"The magic of this album is that you never quite know—or even wish to predict—where it is going to next."
Nearly every track concludes in a completely distinct place from where it began. One moment explores the fleeting trappings of celebrity with a delicate symphony only to collapsing into digital chaos. Another, a cut that recalls the artist's previous rhythmic work starts off moody and sinister, featuring menacing vocals, before sudden flamenco handclaps and a heavenly chorus arrive to smooth the song's rough edges.
The Balance Of Experiment and Accessibility
Another crucial achievement on the album involves straddling the gap between bold experimentation and broad accessibility. It is no surprise that the album has become the artist's first work to crack the Top 5 of key markets: its heart contains a collection of truly undeniable pop songs. A song sung primarily in English swells on a chorus that feels to collect more and more nagging hooks as it spins skyward. That trick is repeated by a different expansive track that grows and contracts, intertwining multiple tunes like an intricate weave.
- A dance-infused song charms via its playful, theatrical drama and an anthemic hook.
- Lyrically, it aligns the pop culture impact of other heartbreak songs, eviscerating a former partner labeled an "emotional bully".
- Across these tracks, the singing have a sharp smile, like a storybook figure hiding a blade: "Gold medal in being a motherfucker / You have won the trophy of letdown."
An Opulent Feast for the Soul
This album represents popular music on a maximalist level, a hungry reach for capital-A artistry in an era of looming AI-generated blankness. It eschews self-absorption for glorious transcendence, crafting a dramatic spectacle that skillfully manages its inherent excess. It is an abundant source of hidden gems that requires time to fully mine but doesn't feels like hard work. While other big pop albums of the year felt like feasting on scraps, Lux offers a lavish feast where the characters around the table, some tipsy on holy drink, flit from discussions about ancient figures, the galvanizing sensation of soul-shattering sadness, and shared stories about useless men. In essence, it's a contemporary musical from pop's most endlessly inventive visionary.
