At first glance, Lux might appear closer to a challenging scholarly challenge than the latest popular music project from a musician whose previous hit was a collaboration with a global pop icon. Divided into four different sections and sung in 13 tongues, this is a dizzying symphonic work investigating female mystique, spiritual ascent, and corporal change, often by way of the prism of different female saints. The end of a love affair—a theme handled with raw openness elsewhere—soars heavenward on this record, carried by the constant presence of a full symphony orchestra and input from an award-winning songwriter among a vast list of collaborators. Its sheer daring alone renders the work of other artists appear rather modest.
Rising Above Academic Exercise
That this album succeeds in transcend overly academic chin-stroking is almost a miracle, with complete credit going to the artist. Although this is not her first album to alchemize historical sounds with modern styles, the stakes are much higher on Lux, with the tightrope walk more precarious. What really raises her fourth album, outside of its multilayered melodies, rich arrangements, and inherent theatricality, is a core sense of fun. Similar to the legendary Björk at her peak, there is a captivating quality to the vocalist's voice that pulls the listener into its whirlwind. Even when she's tearing your heart in two, you still desire to be alongside her through the ride.
A Prime Example of Exuberance
That exuberant spirit shines clearly on a stirring Italian song inspired by a saint. It bathes in a sorrowful whirlpool for more than four moments. Suddenly, all the music falls silent, and there's a gleeful giggle and a comment before a hilariously exaggerated orchestral surge crashes in with cartoonish force. The song then segues to the wild single driven by racing orchestration, an imposing choir, and a surprise role from none other than Björk.
"The magic of this album is that you rarely exactly know—or even wish to know—what it is going next."
Nearly every track concludes in a completely different point than how it started. One moment examines the transient trappings of fame with a featherlight orchestration before disintegrating in electronic chaos. Another, a song echoing the artist's earlier trap-infused work starts off dark and brooding, featuring prowling beats, before sudden flamenco handclaps and a heavenly chorus arrive to soften its jagged edges.
The Bridge Of Art & Pop
A key balancing act of Lux involves navigating the line of bold innovation and broad appeal. It is little coincidence that it has achieved the artist's first release to break into the Top 5 of major markets: its heart contains a collection of truly undeniable pop songs. One track performed primarily in the English language builds around a chorus that seems to gather more and more nagging melodies while it spins upward. This trick is repeated on a different powerful ballad that grows and contracts, intertwining multiple tunes as an intricate tapestry.
- A waltz-like number seduces with its jaunty, theatrical drama and an anthemic hook.
- In its words, it aligns with cultural impact of other heartbreak songs, lambasting a former partner described as an "psychological terrorist".
- Across the album, the vocals have a sharp smile, like a storybook character hiding a blade: "Top prize in acting like a motherfucker / You've the podium of letdown."
A Maximalist Feast for the Soul
This album is popular music on a maximalist level, an ambitious grasp for high artistry in an era of impending AI-generated blankness. It rejects self-absorption in favor of sublime elevation, creating an over-the-top drama that skillfully controls its built-in excess. It is a deep well of buried treasure that requires patience to completely mine but never seem like a chore. Where other big pop albums of the year felt like a meager scraps, this record offers a sumptuous feast where the guests at it, some intoxicated on holy drink, flutter between discussions about ancient saints, the profound feeling of heartbreaking grief, and common stories about hopeless men. In essence, it's a modern-day theatrical production from pop's truly endlessly inventive practitioner.
