On the surface, Lux could seem more like an arduous academic quiz than the latest pop record by an artist whose last hit featured a global K-pop star. Broken into 4 distinct movements and performed in 13 tongues, it is a breathtaking classical-tinged work that delves into female mystery, spiritual ascent, and bodily change, often by way of the perspective of various women saints. The end of a romance—a theme treated with grounded openness elsewhere—is shot upwards on this record, carried by the lush presence of a full orchestra and contributions from an award-winning songwriter among a vast roll call of contributors. The pure daring alone renders the efforts of other artists look quite modest.
Rising Above Scholarly Pretense
That this album manages to transcend dry academic chin-stroking feels almost miraculous, with sole credit belonging to the artist. While this is not the first time project to blend the past and the present, its ambitions feel far greater on Lux, and the tightrope walk far more dramatic. The element that truly raises her fourth album, beyond its complex tunes, rich compositions, and inherent drama, is an essential sense of playfulness. Much like the legendary artist at her peak, you find a captivating quality to the vocalist's singing which sweeps you up in its whirlwind. When she is tearing hearts apart, you nevertheless want to be alongside her through the ride.
A Prime Moment of Joy
That playful spirit comes forth brightly on a stunning piano-led ballad inspired by Saint Clare. It bathes in a sorrowful melancholy for more than four minutes. Suddenly, everything falls silent, to reveal there's a gleeful laugh and a declaration prior to a hilariously over-the-top orchestral surge crashes down like cartoonish impact. The track immediately shifts to the wild track featuring racing strings, an imposing choir, and a cameo role from none other than Björk.
"The charm of this album lies in the listener never exactly know—nor want to know—where you will go next."
Almost every track finishes in a completely different point from where it began. One moment explores the fleeting trappings of fame over a featherlight symphony before collapsing into digital cacophony. Another, a cut echoing her earlier trap-infused style starts out dark and sinister, with menacing vocals, before fluttering traditional rhythms and an angelic choir enter to soften its rough edges.
The Bridge Of Experiment & Pop
Another crucial balancing act of the album involves navigating the gap between bold experimentation and mainstream appeal. It is no surprise that it has achieved the artist's first work to break into the Top 5 of key markets: its heart contains a suite of truly catchy hits. A song sung primarily in the English language builds on a refrain that seems to collect increasingly infectious hooks while it spirals upward. That feat is echoed on another expansive ballad that expands and contracts, intertwining multiple melodies like a complex weave.
- A waltz-like number charms via its playful, Disney-adjacent drama and an anthemic hook.
- In its words, it shares the pop culture impact of other breakup songs, eviscerating an ex- lover labeled an "emotional terrorist".
- Across these tracks, the vocals have a painted-on edge, like a storybook character concealing a knife: "Top prize in acting like a scoundrel / You've the podium of letdown."
A Maximalist Banquet for the Ears
Lux is pop on a maximalist level, a hungry grasp for high Art in an era of impending artificial blankness. It rejects self-absorption for sublime transcendence, creating a dramatic spectacle that masterfully controls its built-in excess. It is an abundant source of hidden treasure that takes patience to completely mine but doesn't feels like a chore. Where other major pop albums of the year felt like a meager meal, Lux offers a sumptuous banquet at which the guests at the table, some intoxicated on holy drink, flit from conversations about ancient figures, the galvanizing feeling of soul-shattering grief, and shared stories about hopeless men. It is a modern-day musical from pop's most endlessly creative visionary.
