Initially, this album could seem more like a difficult university challenge rather than the latest pop project by a musician whose last hit was a collaboration with an international K-pop icon. Broken into four distinct movements and sung in 13 languages, we have a head-spinning orchestral-influenced opus that delves into feminine mystery, spiritual transcendence, and bodily transformation, frequently via the prism of various female saints. The dissolution of a relationship—a topic handled with grounded openness elsewhere—is shot heavenward here, buoyed by the constant sound of a full symphony orchestra and work from a Pulitzer-winning composer within a long roll call of collaborators. Its sheer daring by itself renders the work of contemporary pop stars seem quite small.
Rising Above Scholarly Pretense
The fact that Lux succeeds in escape overly academic posturing feels nothing short of miraculous, with sole praise going to the artist. Although this is not her first album to blend historical sounds and modern styles, its stakes are far greater on Lux, with the balancing act more pronounced. What truly elevates her fourth release, beyond its complex melodies, dense compositions, and inherent theatricality, is a core sense of joy. Much like the legendary Björk at her peak, you find a captivating quality to the vocalist's voice that pulls the listener up in its tornado. When she is tearing your heart in two, you nevertheless want to stay alongside her through the ride.
A Prime Moment of Exuberance
That exuberant spirit comes forth brightly on a stunning Italian ballad inspired by a saint. It bathes in a sorrowful melancholy over more than four moments. Suddenly, all the music falls silent, and we hear a spontaneous giggle followed by a declaration before a comically over-the-top string crescendo thuds down with comedic impact. The song then segues into the wild track featuring racing orchestration, a powerful choral group, and a surprise role from none other than Björk.
"The charm with Lux is that you never exactly understand—nor wish to know—where you will go to next."
Nearly each song ends at a totally distinct place from where it started. A track examines the fleeting trappings of celebrity over a delicate orchestration before disintegrating into electronic cacophony. Another, a cut that recalls her earlier trap-infused style begins out dark and brooding, with menacing beats, until fluttering traditional rhythms and an angelic choir arrive to smooth its rough corners.
The Balance Of Art & Pop
A key balancing act on the album involves straddling the line between bold innovation and mainstream appeal. This is little surprise that the album has achieved her highest-charting release to crack the upper reaches of key markets: its heart contains a suite of utterly catchy hits. One track performed entirely in English swells around a refrain that feels to gather increasingly infectious melodies while it spins skyward. This trick gets repeated by another powerful track that grows and constricts, weaving layered tunes as an intricate tapestry.
- A dance-infused number charms with its jaunty, theatrical flair and an anthemic hook.
- In its words, it aligns the pop culture honesty of contemporary heartbreak songs, lambasting an ex- partner described as an "emotional terrorist".
- Across the album, the singing have a sharp smile, like a storybook character hiding a blade: "Gold medal in acting like a scoundrel / You have the podium of disappointment."
An Opulent Banquet for the Ears
This album is popular music on a grand scale, a hungry grasp for capital-A Art in an era of impending artificial sameness. It eschews self-absorption for sublime transcendence, creating a dramatic drama that masterfully controls its inherent excess. It is a deep well of hidden gems that takes patience to fully mine but doesn't seem like hard work. Where some major releases of the year felt like a meager scraps, this record offers a lavish banquet at which the characters at it, perhaps intoxicated on holy wine, flutter from discussions about historical saints, the profound feeling of heartbreaking grief, and common stories about useless partners. It is a modern-day theatrical production from pop's truly endlessly inventive practitioner.
