On the surface, this album could seem closer to a challenging scholarly examination than the latest popular music album by an artist whose previous single featured an international pop icon. Divided into 4 separate parts and sung in 13 languages, we have a dizzying symphonic opus exploring feminine mystique, spiritual ascent, and corporal change, frequently through the perspective of different female saints. The dissolution of a romance—a topic handled with raw honesty on another major 2025 album—soars skyward on this record, carried by the lush presence of a full symphony orchestra and work from a Pulitzer-winning composer among a long list of contributors. The pure ambition by itself makes the efforts of contemporary artists appear quite small.
Rising Above Scholarly Pretense
That this album manages to transcend dry intellectual posturing is nothing short of a miracle, and sole praise going to the artist. Although this is not her first project to blend the past with modern styles, its stakes feel much greater here, and the balancing act far more pronounced. The element that really elevates this fourth release, beyond its complex tunes, rich compositions, and engrained drama, proves to be a core spirit of joy. Similar to the legendary artist at her height, you find a wondrous quality to Rosalía's singing which sweeps you into its whirlwind. When she is tearing hearts apart, the listener still want to be right there for the journey.
A Prime Example of Joy
This exuberant spirit shines clearly on the stunning Italian song about Saint Clare. It bathes in a string-drenched melancholy over several minutes. Suddenly, all the music drops away, to reveal we hear a spontaneous giggle and a comment before a hilariously over-the-top string surge crashes down like comedic force. The song then segues to the wild track featuring galloping strings, a powerful choral group, and a cameo role from none other than herself.
"The magic with this album is that you never quite know—nor want to know—where you will go next."
Nearly each track concludes in a totally distinct place than how it started. A track explores the fleeting nature of fame over a delicate orchestration before disintegrating in digital cacophony. Another, a song echoing the artist's earlier trap-infused style starts off moody and brooding, with menacing beats, before sudden flamenco handclaps and an angelic choir enter to smooth its jagged corners.
The Balance Of Art and Accessibility
Another crucial balancing act of the album is straddling the line of bold innovation and broad accessibility. It is no surprise that the album has become the artist's highest-charting work to break into the upper reaches of key markets: its heart contains a collection of truly undeniable hits. One track performed entirely in the English language swells on a chorus that feels to collect more and more nagging melodies as it spirals skyward. This feat is echoed on another expansive track that expands and constricts, weaving layered melodies as an intricate tapestry.
- A dance-infused number charms via its jaunty, Disney-adjacent drama and a chant-along chorus.
- In its words, it shares with pop culture honesty of contemporary heartbreak anthems, lambasting a former lover labeled an "psychological bully".
- Across these tracks, the singing carry a painted-on edge, akin to a fairy-tale figure hiding a knife: "Gold medal in being a scoundrel / You have the podium of letdown."
A Maximalist Feast for the Soul
This album is popular music on a grand level, a hungry reach for capital-A artistry in an era of looming AI-generated blankness. It rejects self-absorption in favor of sublime transcendence, creating an over-the-top drama that skillfully controls its inherent excess. It is an abundant well of buried gems that requires patience to fully mine but never seem like a chore. Where some big releases of the year seemed like feasting on meal, Lux offers a sumptuous banquet where the guests at the table, some tipsy on holy wine, flutter between discussions about historical figures, the profound sensation of heartbreaking sadness, and common gossip about useless partners. It is a contemporary theatrical production from music's most restlessly creative visionary.
