On the surface, Lux could seem more like an arduous scholarly challenge rather than a new pop album from an artist whose previous hit was a collaboration with an international pop icon. Divided across 4 different sections and sung in thirteen languages, this is a dizzying classical-tinged album investigating female mystery, religious ascent, and bodily transformation, often through the lens of various women saints. The dissolution of a romance—a topic treated with raw honesty on another major 2025 album—is launched heavenward here, buoyed by the lush presence of a major orchestra and work from a Pulitzer-winning composer within a long list of collaborators. Its sheer audacity by itself renders the efforts of contemporary pop stars appear quite laughable.
Transcending Scholarly Exercise
The fact that Lux manages to transcend overly academic chin-stroking feels nothing short of miraculous, with full praise belonging to Rosalía. Although it's not her first project to fuse the past and modern styles, its stakes feel much higher on Lux, and the tightrope walk more dramatic. What really elevates this fourth album, outside of its complex tunes, rich compositions, and inherent theatricality, is a core sense of fun. Much like the iconic Björk at her peak, you find a captivating quality to the vocalist's voice that pulls the listener up in its whirlwind. When she is tearing your heart apart, you nevertheless want to stay alongside her for the journey.
A Prime Example of Exuberance
That exuberant energy shines clearly on the stunning piano-led ballad inspired by Saint Clare. It bathes in a sorrowful melancholy over more than four moments. Suddenly, everything falls silent, and we hear a gleeful giggle followed by a comment before a hilariously exaggerated orchestral surge thuds down with comedic force. The track then segues into the frenetic track driven by racing strings, an imposing choral group, and a cameo appearance from none other than herself.
"The charm with Lux lies in you never quite know—nor wish to predict—where you is going next."
Nearly each song concludes in a completely distinct place from how it began. One moment explores the fleeting nature of fame over a delicate orchestration before collapsing into digital chaos. Elsewhere, a song that recalls her earlier rhythmic style starts out moody and sinister, with menacing vocals, before sudden traditional rhythms and a heavenly chorus arrive to smooth its jagged corners.
The Bridge Between Art and Accessibility
A key balancing act on Lux involves navigating the line between radical experimentation and mainstream accessibility. It is no surprise that it has become her first work to crack the Top 5 of key charts: its heart contains a suite of utterly catchy hits. One track sung entirely in the English language swells around a chorus that feels to collect increasingly infectious melodies while it spirals upward. That trick is repeated on another expansive track that grows and constricts, intertwining multiple tunes like an intricate tapestry.
- A waltz-like number charms via its jaunty, theatrical flair and an anthemic chorus.
- Lyrically, it aligns the cultural honesty of contemporary heartbreak anthems, eviscerating an ex- partner described as an "emotional terrorist".
- Across the album, the vocals carry a sharp edge, like a storybook figure hiding a knife: "Top prize in acting like a scoundrel / You have the podium of letdown."
An Opulent Feast for the Ears
This album represents pop on a grand scale, an ambitious reach for capital-A artistry in an era of impending artificial blankness. It eschews self-absorption for sublime elevation, creating a dramatic drama that masterfully controls its own built-in ridiculousness. It is an abundant source of hidden treasure that requires patience to completely mine but doesn't feels like hard work. While some big pop albums of 2025 seemed like a meager scraps, Lux is a lavish feast where the guests around the table, perhaps tipsy on sacred wine, flutter between conversations about ancient figures, the galvanizing feeling of heartbreaking grief, and shared stories about hopeless men. In essence, it's a modern-day theatrical production from pop's truly endlessly creative practitioner.
