On the surface, this album may look closer to an arduous university examination rather than the latest popular music album by an artist whose last hit featured a global pop icon. Broken into four distinct movements and voiced in thirteen tongues, this is a breathtaking symphonic album investigating female mystique, religious transcendence, and physical transformation, frequently by way of the prism of different saintly figures. The end of a romance—a topic handled with raw openness on another major 2025 album—is shot heavenward on this record, buoyed by the lush presence of a major orchestra and contributions from a Pulitzer-winning composer within an extensive list of contributors. Its sheer daring by itself makes the work of other artists seem rather modest.
Transcending Scholarly Pretense
The fact that Lux manages to avoid dry intellectual posturing is nothing short of a miracle, and full praise belonging to Rosalía. Although it's not the first time project to alchemize historical sounds with modern styles, the stakes feel much higher here, and the balancing act far more precarious. The element that really raises this fourth album, beyond its complex melodies, rich compositions, and inherent drama, proves to be a core spirit of joy. Much like the iconic artist during her peak, there is a wondrous sense to the vocalist's singing which sweeps you into its tornado. When she is tearing hearts in two, the listener still desire to be right there through the journey.
A Prime Moment of Joy
That playful energy shines brightly on a stunning piano-led ballad inspired by Saint Clare. It bathes in a string-drenched whirlpool for more than four moments. Then, all the music falls silent, to reveal there's a spontaneous laugh and a declaration prior to a hilariously over-the-top string surge crashes down with cartoonish force. The track immediately segues to the frenetic single featuring racing strings, a powerful choral group, and a cameo appearance from the artist herself.
"The magic of this album is that you never exactly know—nor wish to know—what it is going next."
Nearly every track finishes in a completely distinct point than how it started. One moment explores the transient trappings of fame with a delicate symphony before disintegrating into digital chaos. Elsewhere, a cut echoing the artist's previous trap-infused style starts off moody and brooding, with prowling beats, before sudden flamenco handclaps and a heavenly choir enter to soften the song's jagged corners.
The Bridge Between Experiment and Pop
Another crucial achievement on the album is navigating the line of bold experimentation and broad appeal. This is little surprise that it has achieved the artist's first release to break into the Top 5 of key charts: at its core a suite of truly catchy pop songs. One track sung entirely in English swells around a refrain that feels to gather increasingly nagging hooks as it spins skyward. This feat gets echoed on another expansive ballad that expands and constricts, weaving multiple melodies like an intricate weave.
- A waltz-like song charms via its jaunty, theatrical drama and an anthemic hook.
- In its words, it shares with pop culture honesty of contemporary breakup anthems, eviscerating a former partner described as an "emotional terrorist".
- Across the album, the vocals carry a sharp edge, like a storybook character concealing a knife: "Gold medal in acting like a scoundrel / You've won the trophy of letdown."
A Maximalist Feast for the Ears
This album represents pop on a grand level, a hungry reach for high Art in an era of looming artificial sameness. It eschews self-absorption in favor of sublime elevation, crafting a dramatic drama that masterfully manages its built-in ridiculousness. It is a deep source of hidden gems that takes time to completely mine but doesn't feels like a chore. Where other big releases of the year seemed like a meager meal, this record offers a sumptuous feast at which the guests around it, perhaps tipsy on sacred drink, flutter from conversations about ancient saints, the galvanizing sensation of soul-shattering grief, and common stories about hopeless partners. In essence, it's a modern-day theatrical production from music's most restlessly inventive visionary.
