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At first glance, this work could seem closer to an arduous scholarly examination rather than a new pop record by an artist whose previous hit featured a global pop star. Divided across four distinct movements and voiced in 13 tongues, it is a head-spinning orchestral-influenced opus investigating female mystique, spiritual transcendence, and physical transformation, frequently by way of the lens of various saintly figures. The dissolution of a relationship—a theme handled with raw openness elsewhere—is shot upwards on this record, supported by the lush presence of a full orchestra and contributions from a Pulitzer-winning composer among a vast list of collaborators. Its sheer ambition alone renders the efforts of contemporary artists look quite laughable.

Rising Above Academic Exercise

That Lux succeeds in escape dry academic posturing feels nearly a miracle, and full credit belonging to the artist. While it's not her first project to alchemize historical sounds with the present, its ambitions are far higher here, with the tightrope walk far more precarious. The element that really raises her fourth release, outside of its multilayered melodies, dense arrangements, and inherent theatricality, proves to be a core sense of playfulness. Similar to the legendary artist at her peak, you find a wondrous sense to Rosalía's singing which sweeps you up in its tornado. When she's tearing your heart in two, the listener nevertheless desire to be alongside her through the journey.

A Prime Example of Exuberance

That exuberant spirit comes forth brightly during the stirring Italian ballad inspired by Saint Clare. It luxuriates in a string-drenched melancholy for more than four minutes. Then, everything drops silent, to reveal there's a spontaneous laugh and a declaration before a hilariously exaggerated orchestral crescendo thuds in like cartoonish force. The song immediately segues into the frenetic track driven by racing orchestration, a powerful choral group, and a surprise appearance from none other than herself.

"The magic of this album is that the listener never exactly understand—or even wish to predict—what you will go next."

Nearly every track concludes in a totally distinct point than how it started. A track examines the fleeting nature of fame over a featherlight symphony only to disintegrating in electronic chaos. Elsewhere, a cut echoing her earlier rhythmic style starts off dark and sinister, featuring prowling vocals, until sudden flamenco rhythms and an angelic chorus arrive to soften the song's jagged edges.

The Balance Of Experiment and Pop

Another crucial balancing act on the album involves navigating the gap between bold experimentation and mainstream accessibility. This is little coincidence that it has become the artist's highest-charting work to break into the upper reaches of key markets: at its core a collection of truly catchy pop songs. A song performed primarily in English swells on a refrain that seems to gather more and more nagging melodies while it spins skyward. This trick is repeated on another expansive track that grows and constricts, intertwining layered melodies as an intricate tapestry.

• A dance-infused song seduces via its jaunty, Disney-adjacent flair and an anthemic hook.
• In its words, it aligns the pop culture impact of other heartbreak songs, lambasting a former lover labeled an "emotional terrorist".
• Across the album, the singing carry a painted-on smile, like a fairy-tale character hiding a knife: "Gold medal in acting like a scoundrel / You have won the trophy of letdown."

A Maximalist Banquet for the Ears

Lux represents popular music on a maximalist level, a hungry reach for capital-A artistry amid of looming artificial sameness. It eschews solipsism for glorious elevation, creating an over-the-top spectacle that masterfully manages its own built-in excess. It is an abundant well of hidden treasure that takes time to fully explore but doesn't feels like a chore. While some big releases of the year seemed like a meager meal, Lux offers a lavish banquet at which the guests around it, some intoxicated on holy drink, flutter from conversations about ancient figures, the profound feeling of heartbreaking grief, and common stories about useless men. In essence, it's a modern-day theatrical production from pop's most endlessly inventive practitioner.