On the surface, this work may look closer to a challenging scholarly examination than the latest pop record from an artist whose previous single was a collaboration with an international pop star. Broken into 4 separate parts and voiced in thirteen tongues, we have a head-spinning symphonic album investigating female mystery, spiritual transcendence, and bodily transformation, often through the lens of different women saints. The dissolution of a romance—a theme treated with raw honesty on another major 2025 album—is launched upwards here, carried by the constant sound of a major symphony orchestra and contributions from a Pulitzer-winning songwriter among a long list of collaborators. Its sheer daring by itself renders the efforts of other artists look quite laughable.
Rising Above Scholarly Exercise
That this album succeeds in avoid overly intellectual chin-stroking feels nearly miraculous, with full praise belonging to the artist. While this is not the first time project to alchemize historical sounds with the present, its stakes are much higher on Lux, with the tightrope walk more pronounced. The element that really elevates her fourth release, outside of its complex melodies, rich compositions, and inherent drama, proves to be a core sense of fun. Similar to the legendary Björk during her height, there is a wondrous sense to the vocalist's singing that pulls the listener up in its tornado. When she is tearing hearts in two, the listener nevertheless want to be alongside her for the journey.
A Signature Example of Exuberance
That exuberant spirit shines brightly during the stunning Italian ballad about a saint. It luxuriates in a sorrowful whirlpool over more than four minutes. Suddenly, all the music falls away, to reveal there's a gleeful giggle and a declaration before a comically over-the-top string surge crashes in with comedic force. The track then segues to the wild track driven by galloping orchestration, an imposing choir, and a cameo role from none other than herself.
"The charm of this album lies in the listener rarely quite understand—nor wish to know—what it will go next."
Almost each track concludes at a completely distinct point than how it started. One moment examines the fleeting nature of fame over a delicate symphony only to disintegrating in digital cacophony. Elsewhere, a cut that recalls her earlier trap-infused style begins off dark and sinister, featuring prowling beats, before sudden flamenco handclaps and an angelic chorus arrive to soften its jagged corners.
The Balance Of Experiment and Pop
Another crucial balancing act of Lux is straddling the line between bold experimentation and broad appeal. It is no surprise that the album has achieved the artist's first work to crack the upper reaches of major markets: at its core a collection of truly catchy hits. One track sung entirely in the English language swells around a chorus that seems to gather increasingly infectious hooks as it spins skyward. This feat gets echoed by another expansive track that grows and contracts, intertwining layered melodies like a complex tapestry.
- A waltz-like number charms with its playful, Disney-adjacent drama and a chant-along chorus.
- Lyrically, it aligns the pop culture honesty of contemporary breakup anthems, lambasting a former partner described as an "psychological bully".
- Across the album, the vocals carry a painted-on edge, akin to a storybook figure hiding a blade: "Top prize in acting like a scoundrel / You've the podium of disappointment."
An Opulent Feast for the Soul
Lux is popular music on a maximalist level, a hungry grasp for high Art amid of looming AI-generated sameness. It rejects solipsism in favor of sublime elevation, crafting an over-the-top drama that skillfully manages its own inherent ridiculousness. It is an abundant source of buried gems that takes patience to fully mine but never feels like a chore. Where some major releases of the year felt like feasting on scraps, Lux offers a lavish banquet where the guests at the table, some tipsy on sacred drink, flit between conversations about ancient saints, the galvanizing feeling of soul-shattering grief, and common stories about useless partners. It is a modern-day musical from music's most endlessly inventive practitioner.
