At first glance, this album may look closer to a challenging scholarly quiz than a new pop record from a musician whose previous hit was a collaboration with a global K-pop star. Split across four different sections and sung in 13 tongues, this is a head-spinning classical-tinged opus investigating female mystery, religious ascent, and bodily transformation, often through the perspective of various saintly figures. The dissolution of a relationship—a topic handled with grounded openness elsewhere—soars heavenward here, supported by the lush sound of a full symphony orchestra and contributions from an award-winning songwriter within a vast list of contributors. The pure audacity by itself makes the work of other pop stars look rather modest.
Transcending Scholarly Exercise
The fact that Lux manages to escape overly intellectual chin-stroking feels almost a miracle, with complete praise going to the artist. While this is not her first project to fuse historical sounds with the present, the scale are far higher here, and the tightrope walk more pronounced. The element that truly elevates her fourth release, outside of its multilayered melodies, rich compositions, and inherent drama, proves to be a core sense of fun. Similar to the iconic Björk at her peak, there is a captivating sense to the vocalist's singing which sweeps the listener into its whirlwind. Even when she's tearing your heart apart, the listener nevertheless want to stay right there for the ride.
A Prime Moment of Joy
This exuberant spirit shines brightly during a stunning Italian ballad about Saint Clare. It bathes in a string-drenched whirlpool for several minutes. Then, all the music falls away, to reveal there's a gleeful giggle and a declaration before a comically over-the-top orchestral surge crashes in with comedic impact. The song immediately shifts into the wild single featuring galloping orchestration, a powerful choral group, and a cameo appearance from none other than Björk.
"The charm of Lux lies in you never quite understand—or even wish to predict—where it is going next."
Nearly each song finishes at a totally different place from where it began. One moment examines the transient nature of fame with a featherlight symphony only to collapsing into digital chaos. Another, a cut echoing the artist's previous trap-infused work begins off moody and sinister, featuring menacing beats, until fluttering flamenco rhythms and an angelic choir arrive to smooth the song's jagged edges.
The Balance Of Experiment and Pop
A key balancing act of the album is straddling the gap between radical innovation and mainstream appeal. It is little surprise that the album has become her first work to break into the Top 5 of key markets: at its core a suite of truly catchy hits. One track performed primarily in English swells on a refrain that seems to collect increasingly nagging hooks while it spirals skyward. That feat gets echoed by a different expansive track that grows and contracts, weaving multiple tunes as a complex tapestry.
- A dance-infused number seduces via its playful, Disney-adjacent drama and a chant-along chorus.
- Lyrically, it aligns with pop culture impact of other heartbreak songs, lambasting a former lover labeled an "psychological bully".
- Across these tracks, the vocals have a sharp edge, akin to a storybook figure hiding a blade: "Gold medal in acting like a motherfucker / You have won the trophy of disappointment."
A Maximalist Banquet for the Ears
Lux is pop on a grand level, a hungry reach for capital-A artistry in an era of impending AI-generated blankness. It rejects solipsism in favor of glorious transcendence, creating an over-the-top spectacle that skillfully controls its own built-in ridiculousness. This is a deep well of buried gems that takes time to fully mine but doesn't feels like hard work. While other major releases of the year felt like a meager scraps, this record is a lavish feast at which the characters at it, some intoxicated on sacred wine, flit from conversations about historical figures, the galvanizing feeling of soul-shattering sadness, and common stories about useless partners. In essence, it's a contemporary musical from pop's most endlessly creative practitioner.
