At first glance, Lux might appear more like an arduous scholarly examination than the latest popular music record by an artist whose previous hit was a collaboration with an international K-pop star. Divided across 4 different parts and sung in 13 languages, it is a breathtaking symphonic album exploring female mystique, spiritual transcendence, and corporal transformation, frequently via the lens of different saintly figures. The end of a romance—a topic treated with grounded openness on another major 2025 album—soars upwards here, carried by the constant sound of a full symphony orchestra and contributions from an award-winning songwriter among a long list of collaborators. The pure daring by itself makes the efforts of contemporary artists look rather small.
Transcending Academic Exercise
The fact that Lux succeeds in avoid overly academic posturing feels nearly a miracle, with sole praise belonging to Rosalía. Although it's not her first project to blend historical sounds with modern styles, its ambitions feel far higher here, with the tightrope walk more precarious. The element that really raises her fourth release, beyond its multilayered melodies, rich compositions, and inherent theatricality, is an essential sense of joy. Much like the iconic artist at her height, you find a wondrous sense to the vocalist's singing that pulls you into its whirlwind. Even when she's breaking your heart in two, the listener nevertheless desire to be alongside her for the ride.
A Prime Moment of Joy
This playful spirit comes forth clearly on a stirring Italian ballad inspired by a saint. It bathes in a sorrowful melancholy over more than four minutes. Suddenly, everything drops away, and there's a spontaneous laugh followed by a declaration before a hilariously exaggerated string surge thuds in with comedic impact. The song then segues to the frenetic track featuring galloping orchestration, a powerful choir, and a surprise role from the artist Björk.
"The magic with Lux lies in the listener rarely exactly understand—nor want to know—what you is going to next."
Almost every song ends in a completely distinct place than where it began. A track explores the fleeting nature of fame with a featherlight orchestration only to disintegrating in electronic chaos. Another, a song that recalls the artist's previous trap-infused style starts off dark and sinister, featuring prowling beats, until sudden traditional handclaps and an angelic choir arrive to smooth its jagged corners.
The Bridge Of Experiment and Pop
A key achievement on the album is straddling the line of bold experimentation and mainstream accessibility. It is little coincidence that the album has achieved her first release to crack the upper reaches of major charts: at its core a collection of utterly undeniable hits. One track performed primarily in English swells on a refrain that seems to collect more and more infectious melodies while it spins skyward. That trick is echoed by another expansive track that grows and contracts, intertwining layered melodies like a complex tapestry.
- A waltz-like number charms with its jaunty, Disney-adjacent drama and a chant-along hook.
- Lyrically, it shares with pop culture impact of other breakup songs, eviscerating a former lover described as an "emotional bully".
- Throughout these tracks, the singing have a sharp edge, like a storybook character concealing a knife: "Top prize in acting like a motherfucker / You've the podium of letdown."
An Opulent Feast for the Soul
This album is pop on a maximalist scale, a hungry grasp for high artistry in an era of impending artificial blankness. It rejects self-absorption for sublime elevation, crafting a dramatic spectacle that skillfully manages its own built-in excess. It is an abundant source of hidden treasure that takes time to completely explore but never seem like a chore. While other big releases of the year seemed like a meager meal, this record is a lavish feast at which the characters at the table, perhaps tipsy on holy wine, flit between conversations about historical figures, the galvanizing feeling of soul-shattering grief, and common gossip about hopeless men. It is a modern-day musical from pop's truly endlessly creative visionary.
