At first glance, Lux may look more like an arduous university quiz than a new pop project by an artist who just had a previous single featured an international K-pop star. Divided across four distinct movements and performed in 13 tongues, we have a breathtaking classical-tinged work that delves into female mystery, religious transcendence, and corporal change, often via the lens of different saintly figures. The end of a love affair—a theme handled with raw openness elsewhere—is shot upwards on this record, supported by the lush sound of a full symphony orchestra and contributions from an award-winning songwriter within a vast list of collaborators. Its sheer ambition by itself renders the work of other artists look rather modest.
Rising Above Scholarly Exercise
The fact that this album succeeds in transcend overly academic posturing is nearly a miracle, with full credit belonging to Rosalía. Although this is not the first time album to blend historical sounds and the present, its scale feel much higher here, with the tightrope walk more pronounced. What really raises her fourth album, outside of its complex tunes, rich compositions, and engrained theatricality, proves to be a core spirit of joy. Much like the legendary artist during her peak, there is a wondrous sense to Rosalía's singing which sweeps the listener up in its tornado. Even when she is tearing hearts apart, you nevertheless desire to be right there through the journey.
A Prime Example of Joy
This exuberant spirit comes forth clearly on the stirring Italian ballad about Saint Clare. It luxuriates in a sorrowful melancholy for several minutes. Suddenly, everything falls silent, and there's a spontaneous laugh and a declaration prior to a hilariously exaggerated string crescendo thuds in with cartoonish force. The song immediately shifts into the frenetic single driven by racing strings, an imposing choral group, and a cameo appearance from none other than Björk.
"The charm with Lux is that you rarely exactly know—nor wish to predict—where it will go to next."
Nearly each track ends at a completely different point from how it started. A track examines the fleeting trappings of celebrity with a delicate symphony before collapsing in electronic cacophony. Another, a song echoing the artist's previous trap-infused style starts off moody and sinister, featuring menacing beats, until fluttering flamenco rhythms and a heavenly choir arrive to soften the song's rough corners.
The Balance Of Art and Pop
A key balancing act of Lux involves straddling the gap of radical experimentation and broad appeal. It is little surprise that the album has become her first work to crack the upper reaches of key charts: its heart contains a suite of truly catchy pop songs. One track performed primarily in the English language swells on a refrain that seems to gather increasingly infectious melodies while it spirals skyward. That trick is echoed by a different expansive ballad that grows and constricts, weaving multiple tunes as an intricate tapestry.
- A waltz-like number seduces with its playful, Disney-adjacent flair and a chant-along hook.
- Lyrically, it aligns with pop culture impact of contemporary breakup anthems, lambasting an ex- lover described as an "emotional bully".
- Across the album, the vocals have a sharp edge, akin to a fairy-tale character hiding a knife: "Top prize in acting like a scoundrel / You've won the trophy of letdown."
An Opulent Feast for the Soul
This album is pop on a grand scale, an ambitious grasp for high Art in an era of looming artificial sameness. It eschews self-absorption for sublime transcendence, crafting an over-the-top drama that skillfully controls its built-in excess. It is a deep well of buried treasure that takes time to completely mine but doesn't feels like a chore. While other big releases of 2025 felt like a meager scraps, this record is a sumptuous feast where the guests at it, perhaps tipsy on sacred drink, flutter from discussions about ancient figures, the profound sensation of soul-shattering sadness, and shared gossip about hopeless men. It is a contemporary theatrical production from pop's most endlessly creative practitioner.
