On the surface, this album might appear closer to a difficult university quiz than a new popular music record from an artist whose last hit featured an international pop icon. Broken across four different sections and performed in 13 tongues, it is a head-spinning orchestral-influenced opus investigating female mystique, religious ascent, and physical transformation, often through the lens of different women saints. The end of a relationship—a topic treated with grounded honesty elsewhere—is shot heavenward on this record, carried by the constant presence of a full orchestra and work from a Pulitzer-winning songwriter among a long list of collaborators. The pure ambition by itself renders the work of contemporary artists look rather small.
Transcending Scholarly Exercise
That this album succeeds in transcend dry intellectual posturing feels almost miraculous, with complete credit going to the artist. Although this is not the first time album to alchemize historical sounds with the present, its stakes feel much higher on Lux, and the balancing act more pronounced. The element that really elevates her fourth album, outside of its complex melodies, dense compositions, and engrained drama, is an essential spirit of playfulness. Much like the iconic Björk at her height, you find a wondrous quality to the vocalist's singing which sweeps the listener up in its whirlwind. Even when she's breaking hearts apart, the listener nevertheless want to be alongside her through the journey.
A Prime Example of Joy
That exuberant energy shines brightly during the stunning piano-led song inspired by Saint Clare. It luxuriates in a sorrowful melancholy over more than four moments. Suddenly, everything falls silent, and we hear a gleeful laugh and a declaration prior to a comically exaggerated orchestral crescendo crashes in with cartoonish impact. The track then segues to the wild track featuring racing strings, an imposing choir, and a cameo appearance from none other than herself.
"The magic of this album lies in you never quite understand—or even want to know—where you will go next."
Almost every song ends in a totally distinct place than how it began. A track explores the transient nature of celebrity with a delicate orchestration before collapsing in electronic chaos. Elsewhere, a song that recalls her previous trap-infused style starts out moody and brooding, with menacing vocals, until sudden flamenco rhythms and an angelic chorus enter to soften the song's jagged corners.
The Bridge Between Experiment and Accessibility
Another crucial balancing act of Lux involves straddling the gap between bold experimentation and mainstream accessibility. This is no surprise that it has become her highest-charting work to break into the upper reaches of key charts: its heart contains a suite of truly catchy hits. One track performed entirely in the English language swells around a refrain that feels to gather more and more infectious melodies as it spins skyward. This feat gets repeated by another expansive ballad that grows and contracts, weaving multiple melodies as an intricate weave.
- A waltz-like number seduces via its jaunty, Disney-adjacent flair and an anthemic chorus.
- Lyrically, it aligns with cultural impact of other breakup anthems, eviscerating an ex- partner described as an "emotional bully".
- Across the album, the singing carry a sharp edge, like a storybook figure concealing a knife: "Top prize in being a scoundrel / You've the podium of letdown."
A Maximalist Banquet for the Soul
Lux represents pop on a maximalist level, an ambitious grasp for high Art in an era of impending AI-generated sameness. It eschews self-absorption in favor of glorious transcendence, crafting an over-the-top drama that masterfully controls its built-in excess. It is a deep source of buried gems that requires time to fully mine but doesn't seem like hard work. Where other major pop albums of the year seemed like feasting on scraps, Lux is a lavish feast at which the characters at it, some intoxicated on sacred wine, flit from discussions about historical figures, the galvanizing feeling of soul-shattering sadness, and shared gossip about hopeless partners. In essence, it's a modern-day musical from pop's truly restlessly inventive visionary.
