Initially, this album may look more like a challenging academic challenge than a new pop album from a musician whose previous single was a collaboration with an international pop star. Broken across four distinct parts and voiced in thirteen languages, it is a breathtaking symphonic album that delves into feminine mystery, spiritual transcendence, and bodily change, often through the prism of different female saints. The end of a love affair—a topic handled with raw openness elsewhere—is launched skyward here, carried by the lush sound of a full orchestra and input from a Pulitzer-winning songwriter within a long roll call of contributors. The pure daring alone renders the efforts of contemporary pop stars seem quite modest.
Transcending Academic Pretense
That this album manages to avoid overly intellectual posturing feels nearly a miracle, with sole credit going to Rosalía. While it's not her first album to blend the past with modern styles, its stakes are far higher here, with the balancing act far more dramatic. What truly raises her fourth album, outside of its multilayered tunes, rich compositions, and inherent theatricality, proves to be an essential spirit of playfulness. Similar to the iconic artist during her peak, you find a captivating quality to the vocalist's singing that pulls the listener into its whirlwind. When she's breaking hearts in two, you still desire to stay alongside her for the ride.
A Prime Moment of Joy
This exuberant energy comes forth clearly on the stunning Italian song inspired by Saint Clare. It bathes in a string-drenched melancholy over more than four moments. Suddenly, everything falls away, to reveal there's a gleeful giggle and a declaration before a hilariously over-the-top orchestral surge thuds in with comedic impact. The track then segues into the wild track driven by galloping strings, a powerful choral group, and a surprise appearance from none other than herself.
"The magic of Lux is that the listener never exactly understand—or even want to know—what you will go to next."
Nearly every track ends in a totally different place from how it started. One moment explores the transient trappings of fame over a delicate symphony before collapsing into electronic chaos. Another, a cut that recalls her earlier trap-infused style begins off moody and sinister, featuring menacing vocals, until sudden flamenco rhythms and an angelic choir enter to soften the song's rough corners.
The Balance Of Experiment & Pop
Another crucial achievement of Lux is straddling the gap of bold innovation and broad appeal. It is no surprise that it has become the artist's first release to crack the upper reaches of key charts: at its core a suite of truly undeniable pop songs. A song sung primarily in English builds on a refrain that seems to collect increasingly nagging hooks as it spirals skyward. This trick gets echoed on another expansive track that expands and contracts, weaving layered melodies as a complex tapestry.
- A dance-infused song charms via its jaunty, theatrical drama and a chant-along hook.
- Lyrically, it aligns with pop culture honesty of other breakup anthems, eviscerating an ex- partner described as an "psychological bully".
- Across the album, the vocals carry a sharp edge, akin to a storybook character concealing a blade: "Gold medal in being a motherfucker / You've won the trophy of letdown."
An Opulent Feast for the Soul
Lux is pop on a grand level, an ambitious grasp for high Art amid of impending artificial sameness. It rejects solipsism in favor of sublime elevation, crafting a dramatic spectacle that skillfully manages its inherent ridiculousness. It is an abundant source of buried gems that requires time to fully explore but never feels like hard work. While some big releases of 2025 felt like feasting on scraps, Lux offers a lavish banquet where the guests at it, perhaps intoxicated on holy wine, flit from discussions about historical figures, the profound sensation of soul-shattering grief, and shared stories about useless partners. In essence, it's a modern-day musical from music's truly endlessly creative practitioner.
