At first glance, Lux might appear closer to an arduous academic challenge rather than the latest popular music project by a musician whose last hit was a collaboration with a global pop icon. Divided into 4 separate movements and voiced in 13 languages, it is a breathtaking classical-tinged opus investigating female mystery, religious ascent, and bodily transformation, frequently via the perspective of different women saints. The end of a love affair—a topic treated with grounded openness elsewhere—is shot skyward on this record, buoyed by the lush presence of a full symphony orchestra and work from a Pulitzer-winning composer among a vast roll call of collaborators. Its sheer daring alone renders the work of other pop stars appear rather laughable.
Transcending Scholarly Pretense
That this album succeeds in avoid overly academic chin-stroking feels nearly miraculous, and complete credit belonging to Rosalía. Although it's not the first time album to blend historical sounds with modern styles, its ambitions are much greater here, with the balancing act far more dramatic. The element that truly raises this fourth release, beyond its multilayered tunes, rich arrangements, and inherent drama, is an essential spirit of fun. Much like the iconic Björk during her peak, you find a captivating quality to the vocalist's singing which sweeps the listener up in its tornado. When she is breaking your heart apart, the listener nevertheless want to stay right there through the ride.
A Prime Example of Joy
This playful spirit shines clearly on the stirring piano-led song inspired by Saint Clare. It bathes in a sorrowful whirlpool over more than four moments. Suddenly, everything drops away, to reveal there's a spontaneous giggle and a declaration before a hilariously over-the-top string crescendo crashes down with comedic impact. The song then shifts to the wild single featuring racing strings, an imposing choral group, and a cameo role from none other than Björk.
"The charm of Lux lies in you rarely quite know—or even wish to know—what you will go next."
Almost every track ends at a completely different point than how it started. A track explores the transient trappings of fame over a delicate symphony only to collapsing into electronic cacophony. Elsewhere, a cut that recalls her previous rhythmic style starts off dark and sinister, with prowling beats, before fluttering traditional rhythms and an angelic chorus arrive to soften its rough edges.
The Bridge Of Experiment and Pop
A key achievement on the album is navigating the line of radical experimentation and broad appeal. This is no coincidence that the album has achieved her first work to crack the upper reaches of key markets: at its core a collection of truly catchy pop songs. A song sung primarily in English swells around a refrain that feels to collect more and more infectious melodies as it spirals skyward. That trick gets echoed by another powerful ballad that grows and contracts, weaving multiple melodies like an intricate weave.
- A waltz-like song charms with its playful, Disney-adjacent flair and a chant-along hook.
- In its words, it shares with pop culture honesty of contemporary heartbreak songs, lambasting a former lover described as an "psychological bully".
- Across the album, the vocals have a painted-on smile, like a storybook character hiding a knife: "Top prize in being a scoundrel / You've the podium of disappointment."
A Maximalist Feast for the Ears
This album is popular music on a grand scale, a hungry reach for high artistry in an era of looming artificial blankness. It eschews self-absorption in favor of glorious transcendence, creating an over-the-top spectacle that skillfully controls its inherent ridiculousness. This is a deep source of hidden treasure that requires patience to fully explore but doesn't seem like hard work. While other big pop albums of 2025 felt like a meager scraps, this record offers a lavish banquet at which the characters around it, some tipsy on holy wine, flit between conversations about historical saints, the profound sensation of soul-shattering sadness, and shared gossip about hopeless partners. It is a modern-day musical from music's most endlessly inventive practitioner.
