Initially, this album may look closer to a difficult academic challenge than the latest pop project from a musician whose last single featured a global K-pop star. Split into 4 distinct movements and sung in thirteen languages, we have a head-spinning orchestral-influenced album that delves into female mystique, religious ascent, and physical transformation, often through the perspective of various female saints. The dissolution of a love affair—a topic treated with grounded openness elsewhere—soars upwards here, buoyed by the constant presence of a full symphony orchestra and contributions from an award-winning composer within an extensive list of collaborators. The pure ambition by itself makes the efforts of other pop stars appear quite small.
Rising Above Academic Exercise
That Lux succeeds in escape dry academic chin-stroking is nearly miraculous, with full credit belonging to Rosalía. Although it's not the first time project to fuse historical sounds with modern styles, the stakes are much higher on Lux, with the tightrope walk more precarious. The element that truly elevates this fourth album, beyond its multilayered tunes, rich arrangements, and engrained drama, proves to be a core sense of fun. Much like the legendary artist during her height, there is a wondrous quality to the vocalist's singing that pulls the listener up in its tornado. Even when she's breaking hearts in two, the listener nevertheless desire to be right there through the ride.
A Prime Example of Joy
That exuberant energy comes forth clearly during the stunning Italian ballad about a saint. It bathes in a sorrowful whirlpool for several minutes. Then, everything drops silent, and there's a gleeful giggle followed by a declaration before a hilariously exaggerated orchestral surge crashes in like comedic impact. The track then segues to the wild track driven by racing strings, an imposing choral group, and a cameo appearance from the artist Björk.
"The charm of Lux lies in the listener rarely quite know—or even want to predict—where you will go next."
Nearly each track ends in a completely different point from where it started. A track explores the transient trappings of fame with a featherlight symphony only to disintegrating in electronic chaos. Elsewhere, a song that recalls the artist's earlier trap-infused style starts off moody and sinister, with menacing beats, until fluttering traditional rhythms and an angelic choir arrive to soften its rough edges.
The Bridge Between Art & Pop
Another crucial achievement of the album involves navigating the gap between bold experimentation and mainstream appeal. This is no coincidence that the album has become the artist's highest-charting release to crack the Top 5 of key charts: at its core a suite of truly undeniable pop songs. A song performed entirely in the English language builds around a chorus that feels to gather more and more infectious hooks while it spins upward. That feat is repeated by another expansive ballad that grows and contracts, intertwining multiple tunes as a complex tapestry.
- A dance-infused number charms with its jaunty, theatrical drama and an anthemic chorus.
- In its words, it shares with pop culture honesty of other heartbreak anthems, lambasting an ex- partner described as an "emotional bully".
- Throughout these tracks, the vocals have a sharp edge, like a storybook figure hiding a blade: "Gold medal in being a scoundrel / You have won the trophy of letdown."
A Maximalist Banquet for the Ears
This album represents popular music on a grand level, an ambitious reach for capital-A Art in an era of impending artificial sameness. It eschews self-absorption for glorious elevation, crafting an over-the-top spectacle that skillfully manages its built-in ridiculousness. It is an abundant well of buried gems that requires patience to fully explore but never feels like a chore. Where other major releases of 2025 seemed like a meager scraps, this record is a sumptuous banquet at which the characters around the table, some tipsy on holy drink, flutter between discussions about ancient saints, the galvanizing feeling of heartbreaking grief, and shared stories about hopeless men. It is a modern-day theatrical production from music's truly restlessly creative practitioner.
