On the surface, this work may look more like an arduous academic examination than a new pop project from a musician who just had a previous hit featured a global pop icon. Broken into four separate sections and performed in 13 tongues, we have a head-spinning orchestral-influenced opus exploring female mystery, religious ascent, and corporal transformation, often via the lens of different saintly figures. The dissolution of a love affair—a theme handled with raw honesty on another major 2025 album—soars heavenward on this record, supported by the constant presence of a major symphony orchestra and contributions from a Pulitzer-winning composer among a vast list of contributors. The pure daring by itself renders the work of other artists appear quite small.
Transcending Scholarly Exercise
That this album succeeds in escape overly intellectual posturing is nothing short of a miracle, with complete praise going to Rosalía. While this is not the first time project to alchemize historical sounds and the present, its scale are far greater on Lux, with the tightrope walk far more dramatic. The element that truly raises her fourth album, outside of its complex melodies, dense arrangements, and engrained drama, proves to be an essential spirit of joy. Similar to the iconic Björk at her height, you find a captivating sense to Rosalía's voice which sweeps the listener into its whirlwind. Even when she is breaking hearts apart, you still want to be right there through the ride.
A Signature Example of Exuberance
This exuberant spirit comes forth clearly during the stunning Italian song about Saint Clare. It luxuriates in a sorrowful whirlpool over more than four minutes. Then, all the music falls silent, and there's a gleeful laugh followed by a comment before a hilariously over-the-top orchestral surge thuds down like cartoonish force. The song then shifts to the frenetic single driven by racing orchestration, an imposing choral group, and a surprise role from none other than herself.
"The charm of this album lies in the listener rarely exactly know—or even want to know—what you is going next."
Almost each track ends at a completely distinct point than how it began. A track examines the transient trappings of celebrity with a featherlight orchestration only to disintegrating in electronic chaos. Elsewhere, a cut echoing her earlier rhythmic style starts out moody and sinister, featuring menacing vocals, until fluttering traditional rhythms and a heavenly choir enter to smooth the song's jagged edges.
The Bridge Between Experiment and Accessibility
A key achievement on Lux involves navigating the gap of radical experimentation and broad appeal. This is no coincidence that it has achieved her first release to crack the Top 5 of key markets: at its core a collection of truly undeniable hits. One track sung entirely in English builds around a refrain that feels to collect more and more nagging melodies as it spins upward. This feat gets echoed on another powerful ballad that grows and contracts, intertwining layered melodies as an intricate tapestry.
- A dance-infused song seduces with its jaunty, Disney-adjacent drama and an anthemic hook.
- In its words, it shares with cultural impact of contemporary heartbreak anthems, lambasting an ex- partner described as an "emotional terrorist".
- Throughout these tracks, the vocals carry a painted-on smile, akin to a storybook figure hiding a knife: "Gold medal in acting like a motherfucker / You've the podium of disappointment."
An Opulent Banquet for the Ears
This album represents popular music on a maximalist scale, an ambitious grasp for capital-A Art in an era of impending AI-generated sameness. It rejects self-absorption in favor of sublime elevation, crafting an over-the-top drama that masterfully manages its own inherent ridiculousness. This is a deep well of hidden treasure that requires time to fully mine but doesn't feels like hard work. While some major releases of 2025 felt like a meager scraps, this record offers a sumptuous banquet where the guests around the table, perhaps intoxicated on sacred drink, flutter between conversations about historical saints, the profound sensation of soul-shattering grief, and common stories about useless men. In essence, it's a contemporary theatrical production from music's most endlessly creative visionary.
