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At first glance, Lux might appear more like a difficult academic examination rather than the latest pop project from an artist who just had a previous hit was a collaboration with an international K-pop icon. Split across 4 different sections and voiced in 13 languages, it is a dizzying classical-tinged album that delves into female mystery, religious transcendence, and corporal transformation, frequently via the lens of various women saints. The end of a love affair—a topic treated with grounded honesty elsewhere—is shot heavenward on this record, buoyed by the constant sound of a major orchestra and work from a Pulitzer-winning composer among a long roll call of contributors. The pure daring alone makes the efforts of contemporary artists appear rather modest.

Transcending Scholarly Exercise

That Lux manages to avoid dry academic posturing feels nearly a miracle, and sole credit belonging to Rosalía. Although it's not her first album to blend historical sounds and modern styles, its ambitions feel far higher here, and the tightrope walk far more precarious. What really elevates this fourth release, beyond its complex tunes, dense arrangements, and inherent drama, proves to be an essential sense of playfulness. Similar to the iconic Björk at her height, you find a captivating quality to the vocalist's singing that pulls the listener up in its whirlwind. Even when she is tearing hearts in two, the listener nevertheless want to be right there for the journey.

A Prime Moment of Exuberance

This exuberant spirit shines brightly on the stunning Italian song inspired by a saint. It luxuriates in a string-drenched whirlpool for more than four minutes. Suddenly, everything drops silent, and we hear a gleeful laugh and a comment prior to a hilariously over-the-top string crescendo crashes in with cartoonish impact. The track immediately segues into the wild track driven by galloping strings, a powerful choir, and a cameo appearance from none other than Björk.

"The magic with Lux lies in you never quite understand—nor want to predict—where you is going to next."

Nearly each song finishes at a totally distinct point than where it began. A track examines the transient nature of fame over a featherlight orchestration before collapsing in electronic cacophony. Another, a song echoing her earlier rhythmic style begins off moody and sinister, featuring menacing vocals, before sudden flamenco handclaps and an angelic choir enter to smooth its jagged edges.

The Balance Of Experiment and Accessibility

A key balancing act of the album involves straddling the line of bold experimentation and mainstream appeal. This is little coincidence that the album has become her first release to crack the Top 5 of key markets: its heart contains a suite of utterly undeniable hits. One track sung primarily in the English language builds on a refrain that seems to collect more and more nagging hooks while it spins upward. This trick is repeated on a different powerful ballad that grows and contracts, intertwining layered melodies like a complex weave.

• A dance-infused number charms via its playful, theatrical flair and an anthemic chorus.
• In its words, it aligns with pop culture honesty of contemporary breakup songs, eviscerating a former partner labeled an "emotional terrorist".
• Throughout these tracks, the singing carry a painted-on edge, akin to a fairy-tale character concealing a knife: "Top prize in being a scoundrel / You've won the trophy of disappointment."

An Opulent Feast for the Ears

This album is popular music on a grand scale, an ambitious reach for high artistry in an era of impending artificial blankness. It eschews solipsism for sublime elevation, creating a dramatic drama that skillfully controls its own built-in ridiculousness. It is an abundant source of buried gems that requires patience to fully explore but never feels like a chore. Where other big pop albums of the year seemed like feasting on meal, this record is a lavish feast at which the characters at it, some intoxicated on holy drink, flutter from discussions about historical saints, the profound sensation of heartbreaking grief, and shared stories about useless men. It is a contemporary musical from music's truly endlessly creative visionary.