At first glance, Lux could seem closer to a difficult academic challenge rather than a new popular music album by an artist whose last hit was a collaboration with a global K-pop star. Divided into four distinct sections and voiced in 13 languages, this is a breathtaking classical-tinged work investigating feminine mystery, religious ascent, and bodily change, often through the prism of different female saints. The end of a love affair—a theme treated with raw honesty elsewhere—is shot skyward here, buoyed by the lush presence of a full orchestra and input from a Pulitzer-winning songwriter among an extensive list of contributors. Its sheer daring by itself renders the work of contemporary pop stars look quite modest.
Transcending Academic Pretense
That this album manages to transcend overly academic posturing feels nothing short of miraculous, with sole credit going to the artist. Although it's not the first time album to alchemize the past and modern styles, its ambitions are much higher here, and the balancing act far more precarious. What really elevates her fourth release, beyond its complex tunes, dense compositions, and engrained theatricality, proves to be an essential sense of fun. Similar to the legendary Björk during her peak, there is a wondrous sense to the vocalist's voice that pulls the listener into its whirlwind. Even when she is breaking hearts apart, you nevertheless desire to be right there for the journey.
A Prime Moment of Joy
That exuberant spirit comes forth brightly during the stirring Italian ballad about Saint Clare. It luxuriates in a string-drenched melancholy over several moments. Then, everything drops away, and we hear a gleeful giggle followed by a declaration prior to a comically exaggerated string surge crashes down with cartoonish force. The track then segues to the frenetic track featuring galloping orchestration, an imposing choir, and a cameo appearance from the artist Björk.
"The charm of Lux is that the listener never quite know—or even want to predict—what you will go to next."
Nearly each track finishes at a totally different place than where it started. A track explores the transient trappings of fame with a delicate symphony before disintegrating in electronic chaos. Another, a cut echoing the artist's previous trap-infused style starts off moody and brooding, with menacing vocals, before sudden traditional handclaps and an angelic chorus enter to soften its rough edges.
The Balance Between Experiment & Pop
A key balancing act of Lux is straddling the gap between bold experimentation and mainstream appeal. This is little surprise that it has achieved her first release to crack the upper reaches of major markets: its heart contains a suite of utterly catchy pop songs. A song sung entirely in English builds on a refrain that seems to gather increasingly nagging hooks while it spirals upward. This trick gets repeated by a different powerful track that grows and constricts, weaving layered tunes as an intricate weave.
- A dance-infused number seduces via its playful, theatrical flair and a chant-along hook.
- In its words, it shares with pop culture impact of contemporary heartbreak anthems, eviscerating a former lover labeled an "emotional bully".
- Throughout the album, the singing have a painted-on smile, like a fairy-tale character hiding a knife: "Gold medal in being a scoundrel / You have the podium of disappointment."
An Opulent Banquet for the Soul
This album represents pop on a grand scale, an ambitious reach for capital-A artistry in an era of impending artificial sameness. It rejects self-absorption for glorious transcendence, crafting a dramatic spectacle that skillfully controls its own inherent excess. It is a deep well of hidden treasure that requires patience to fully explore but never feels like hard work. While some big releases of the year felt like feasting on meal, this record offers a lavish banquet where the characters at the table, perhaps tipsy on holy drink, flit from conversations about ancient figures, the galvanizing sensation of heartbreaking sadness, and shared stories about hopeless partners. It is a contemporary theatrical production from music's truly endlessly inventive practitioner.
