At first glance, this work might appear closer to an arduous scholarly examination than a new popular music album from a musician who just had a previous single was a collaboration with a global pop icon. Split into four different movements and performed in 13 languages, this is a head-spinning symphonic opus exploring female mystery, spiritual transcendence, and physical change, frequently via the lens of various women saints. The end of a love affair—a topic handled with grounded honesty elsewhere—soars skyward here, supported by the lush presence of a major symphony orchestra and work from a Pulitzer-winning songwriter among a long list of contributors. The pure ambition alone makes the work of contemporary artists appear quite laughable.
Transcending Scholarly Exercise
The fact that Lux succeeds in transcend dry intellectual posturing is nearly miraculous, and sole credit going to the artist. Although this is not the first time project to fuse the past with the present, the scale feel far higher on Lux, with the tightrope walk far more precarious. What really raises this fourth album, beyond its complex melodies, dense arrangements, and engrained drama, is a core spirit of playfulness. Similar to the iconic Björk during her height, you find a captivating quality to the vocalist's singing that pulls the listener into its tornado. When she is tearing hearts apart, the listener still want to stay right there through the journey.
A Signature Example of Exuberance
That exuberant spirit shines brightly on the stirring Italian song inspired by a saint. It luxuriates in a sorrowful melancholy over more than four minutes. Then, all the music falls away, to reveal there's a gleeful laugh and a declaration before a hilariously exaggerated string crescendo thuds in with cartoonish impact. The track then shifts to the wild single driven by galloping orchestration, an imposing choral group, and a surprise appearance from none other than herself.
"The magic of Lux is that you never exactly understand—or even want to know—where it is going next."
Nearly every track ends in a totally different point than where it began. One moment explores the fleeting nature of fame with a delicate orchestration only to collapsing in electronic cacophony. Another, a song that recalls her earlier trap-infused work begins off moody and sinister, featuring prowling beats, until sudden flamenco handclaps and an angelic choir arrive to smooth the song's jagged corners.
The Balance Between Art and Accessibility
Another crucial achievement of Lux is navigating the gap between radical innovation and mainstream accessibility. It is no surprise that the album has become her highest-charting release to crack the Top 5 of major markets: its heart contains a collection of truly undeniable hits. One track performed primarily in English builds on a refrain that seems to collect more and more nagging melodies while it spins upward. This feat gets repeated by a different expansive track that expands and constricts, weaving multiple melodies like a complex tapestry.
- A dance-infused song charms with its playful, theatrical flair and an anthemic hook.
- Lyrically, it shares the pop culture impact of contemporary heartbreak songs, lambasting a former partner described as an "psychological terrorist".
- Across these tracks, the vocals have a sharp edge, like a storybook character concealing a knife: "Gold medal in being a scoundrel / You have the podium of letdown."
A Maximalist Banquet for the Ears
This album represents popular music on a grand scale, a hungry grasp for high Art amid of impending artificial sameness. It eschews solipsism for glorious transcendence, creating a dramatic spectacle that masterfully manages its own inherent excess. This is a deep well of hidden gems that takes patience to fully mine but never feels like a chore. Where other major pop albums of the year seemed like a meager scraps, this record is a lavish banquet where the guests at the table, some tipsy on holy wine, flit between conversations about historical saints, the profound sensation of soul-shattering sadness, and common gossip about useless partners. It is a contemporary musical from music's most endlessly creative visionary.
