Initially, this work might appear more like a difficult academic challenge rather than the latest popular music project from an artist who just had a previous hit was a collaboration with a global pop star. Split across four distinct movements and voiced in 13 languages, it is a head-spinning orchestral-influenced opus that delves into female mystery, religious transcendence, and bodily change, often by way of the lens of different female saints. The dissolution of a relationship—a topic treated with raw openness elsewhere—is shot heavenward on this record, buoyed by the constant presence of a major orchestra and work from an award-winning songwriter within a long list of collaborators. Its sheer ambition alone renders the efforts of other pop stars look quite small.
Transcending Scholarly Pretense
The fact that this album succeeds in transcend overly academic chin-stroking feels almost a miracle, and full credit belonging to the artist. Although it's not the first time project to blend the past and modern styles, the stakes feel much higher here, and the balancing act more dramatic. What really raises her fourth album, outside of its multilayered melodies, dense compositions, and inherent drama, proves to be an essential sense of playfulness. Similar to the iconic Björk at her height, there is a wondrous sense to the vocalist's singing which sweeps the listener up in its tornado. When she is breaking hearts apart, you nevertheless want to stay right there for the journey.
A Prime Example of Joy
This exuberant spirit shines brightly on the stirring Italian ballad inspired by Saint Clare. It bathes in a string-drenched whirlpool over several moments. Then, everything falls away, to reveal there's a gleeful giggle and a declaration prior to a hilariously over-the-top orchestral crescendo thuds in like cartoonish force. The track immediately segues into the wild single driven by galloping orchestration, a powerful choral group, and a surprise appearance from the artist Björk.
"The charm with this album is that you never exactly understand—or even want to know—what it will go next."
Nearly each track finishes in a totally distinct point from where it began. A track examines the transient trappings of fame with a delicate orchestration before collapsing in digital cacophony. Elsewhere, a song that recalls the artist's earlier trap-infused work starts off moody and sinister, featuring menacing beats, until fluttering flamenco rhythms and a heavenly choir arrive to smooth its rough edges.
The Balance Between Art & Pop
A key balancing act on the album is straddling the gap of bold innovation and broad appeal. This is no coincidence that the album has achieved the artist's highest-charting work to break into the upper reaches of major markets: its heart contains a collection of utterly catchy pop songs. One track performed entirely in the English language swells around a chorus that feels to collect increasingly infectious hooks as it spirals skyward. That trick is echoed on another powerful track that grows and contracts, intertwining multiple tunes as an intricate weave.
- A dance-infused song charms with its playful, theatrical flair and a chant-along chorus.
- In its words, it aligns with cultural impact of other breakup anthems, eviscerating a former lover described as an "emotional terrorist".
- Throughout these tracks, the singing have a painted-on smile, like a storybook character hiding a blade: "Gold medal in being a scoundrel / You have the podium of disappointment."
A Maximalist Feast for the Soul
Lux represents popular music on a maximalist scale, an ambitious grasp for high artistry in an era of looming artificial blankness. It rejects self-absorption in favor of glorious elevation, creating an over-the-top drama that masterfully manages its own inherent ridiculousness. It is a deep source of hidden treasure that takes time to fully mine but never feels like a chore. While other major pop albums of the year seemed like a meager meal, Lux offers a sumptuous banquet at which the guests around the table, perhaps tipsy on sacred wine, flit between conversations about ancient figures, the galvanizing feeling of soul-shattering sadness, and shared stories about hopeless men. It is a modern-day musical from music's truly restlessly inventive practitioner.
