On the surface, this album could seem more like a difficult university examination rather than a new popular music record from a musician whose previous hit was a collaboration with an international K-pop icon. Split into four distinct parts and performed in 13 tongues, we have a breathtaking orchestral-influenced opus that delves into feminine mystery, religious ascent, and corporal transformation, often through the perspective of different saintly figures. The dissolution of a relationship—a topic handled with raw honesty on another major 2025 album—soars skyward here, supported by the constant presence of a full orchestra and contributions from a Pulitzer-winning composer within an extensive roll call of collaborators. Its sheer daring by itself renders the efforts of other artists look quite modest.
Rising Above Scholarly Exercise
The fact that this album manages to transcend dry academic posturing feels nearly a miracle, and full praise belonging to Rosalía. Although this is not the first time album to blend the past with modern styles, the ambitions are much higher on Lux, and the balancing act more precarious. The element that really raises this fourth release, beyond its complex melodies, dense compositions, and inherent drama, is an essential sense of joy. Much like the legendary artist during her height, there is a captivating quality to Rosalía's voice which sweeps you up in its tornado. Even when she is breaking hearts apart, the listener still want to stay alongside her for the ride.
A Prime Example of Exuberance
This exuberant spirit shines clearly on the stunning piano-led ballad about Saint Clare. It luxuriates in a sorrowful melancholy for more than four moments. Suddenly, all the music falls away, and there's a spontaneous laugh and a comment prior to a comically exaggerated string surge crashes in with cartoonish impact. The track immediately segues to the frenetic track driven by racing strings, a powerful choral group, and a surprise role from none other than herself.
"The charm of Lux lies in you rarely exactly know—or even wish to predict—where you is going to next."
Nearly every song finishes in a completely different point than how it began. A track explores the transient nature of celebrity over a delicate orchestration before collapsing into digital chaos. Elsewhere, a song that recalls the artist's previous rhythmic style begins out dark and sinister, with menacing beats, until sudden flamenco rhythms and a heavenly chorus arrive to soften the song's rough corners.
The Balance Between Art and Accessibility
A key balancing act of the album is navigating the gap of bold experimentation and mainstream appeal. It is no surprise that it has become her first release to crack the upper reaches of major charts: at its core a collection of utterly undeniable pop songs. One track performed entirely in English swells on a chorus that feels to collect increasingly infectious melodies as it spirals upward. This trick gets echoed on another powerful ballad that expands and contracts, intertwining multiple tunes like an intricate tapestry.
- A waltz-like number seduces via its jaunty, Disney-adjacent flair and an anthemic chorus.
- In its words, it aligns the cultural impact of contemporary heartbreak songs, eviscerating a former lover described as an "emotional terrorist".
- Throughout the album, the vocals carry a painted-on edge, akin to a fairy-tale figure hiding a knife: "Top prize in acting like a motherfucker / You have the podium of disappointment."
A Maximalist Feast for the Soul
This album represents popular music on a maximalist scale, a hungry reach for high Art amid of looming artificial sameness. It rejects self-absorption in favor of glorious transcendence, crafting an over-the-top spectacle that masterfully manages its inherent ridiculousness. It is an abundant source of hidden gems that requires patience to completely mine but doesn't feels like hard work. While some major pop albums of 2025 seemed like feasting on meal, Lux is a lavish feast at which the characters around it, some intoxicated on holy wine, flit between discussions about historical saints, the galvanizing sensation of soul-shattering sadness, and common stories about useless men. In essence, it's a contemporary musical from music's truly restlessly inventive visionary.
