On the surface, this work may look closer to an arduous scholarly examination rather than a new popular music album by a musician whose last hit featured an international pop icon. Divided into 4 different parts and sung in thirteen tongues, we have a dizzying orchestral-influenced work investigating female mystery, spiritual ascent, and bodily transformation, often by way of the prism of various female saints. The end of a relationship—a theme handled with raw openness on another major 2025 album—is launched upwards on this record, carried by the constant presence of a full symphony orchestra and work from an award-winning songwriter within a long roll call of collaborators. Its sheer ambition by itself renders the efforts of contemporary pop stars seem quite modest.
Rising Above Scholarly Exercise
The fact that Lux manages to avoid overly academic chin-stroking is nearly miraculous, and sole praise going to Rosalía. While this is not the first time project to alchemize historical sounds with the present, the scale are much higher here, with the tightrope walk far more pronounced. The element that really elevates this fourth release, outside of its multilayered tunes, dense compositions, and engrained theatricality, is a core spirit of fun. Similar to the legendary Björk at her height, you find a wondrous quality to the vocalist's voice that pulls the listener up in its whirlwind. When she is tearing your heart apart, the listener nevertheless want to be alongside her for the ride.
A Prime Moment of Exuberance
That exuberant energy shines clearly during a stunning Italian song inspired by a saint. It bathes in a string-drenched whirlpool for more than four minutes. Then, all the music drops silent, to reveal there's a gleeful giggle and a comment prior to a hilariously over-the-top string crescendo crashes in with cartoonish impact. The song immediately shifts to the wild single featuring racing strings, an imposing choir, and a surprise appearance from the artist Björk.
"The charm with this album lies in you never exactly know—nor wish to predict—what it will go to next."
Almost every song finishes in a completely distinct place from where it started. One moment examines the fleeting trappings of celebrity over a delicate orchestration only to disintegrating into electronic chaos. Another, a song echoing the artist's previous trap-infused style begins off moody and sinister, with prowling beats, before fluttering flamenco rhythms and an angelic chorus enter to soften its jagged corners.
The Balance Between Experiment & Accessibility
Another crucial balancing act on the album involves navigating the gap between bold innovation and mainstream appeal. This is no coincidence that the album has achieved her highest-charting release to crack the Top 5 of key markets: at its core a suite of truly catchy pop songs. One track sung entirely in the English language builds on a chorus that seems to collect increasingly infectious hooks while it spins skyward. This trick is repeated on another expansive track that expands and constricts, intertwining multiple tunes like an intricate tapestry.
- A dance-infused number charms via its playful, Disney-adjacent drama and an anthemic chorus.
- Lyrically, it aligns the cultural honesty of contemporary breakup songs, eviscerating a former partner described as an "psychological terrorist".
- Across the album, the vocals carry a sharp smile, akin to a fairy-tale character concealing a blade: "Top prize in being a scoundrel / You have the podium of disappointment."
An Opulent Feast for the Soul
Lux is popular music on a grand scale, an ambitious reach for capital-A artistry in an era of looming AI-generated blankness. It rejects solipsism for sublime transcendence, crafting an over-the-top spectacle that skillfully controls its own built-in excess. This is a deep well of hidden treasure that requires time to fully explore but doesn't seem like hard work. Where some major releases of 2025 felt like feasting on scraps, Lux offers a sumptuous feast where the guests around the table, perhaps intoxicated on holy drink, flit between discussions about ancient saints, the galvanizing feeling of heartbreaking grief, and shared stories about useless men. In essence, it's a modern-day musical from pop's most restlessly inventive practitioner.
