On the surface, Lux may look more like a difficult scholarly quiz rather than the latest pop album from a musician whose previous single featured a global K-pop icon. Broken across four different sections and performed in thirteen tongues, we have a breathtaking classical-tinged work investigating feminine mystery, religious transcendence, and corporal transformation, frequently by way of the prism of different saintly figures. The dissolution of a relationship—a topic treated with raw openness elsewhere—is launched upwards on this record, buoyed by the constant presence of a full orchestra and work from a Pulitzer-winning songwriter among a vast roll call of contributors. The pure ambition alone makes the efforts of contemporary artists seem quite modest.
Transcending Scholarly Exercise
The fact that this album manages to escape dry academic chin-stroking is nearly miraculous, and complete credit going to the artist. While this is not her first project to alchemize historical sounds and the present, its scale feel far higher here, and the tightrope walk far more pronounced. What truly elevates her fourth release, beyond its multilayered melodies, rich compositions, and inherent theatricality, is a core spirit of joy. Much like the iconic Björk during her height, you find a wondrous quality to the vocalist's singing which sweeps the listener into its whirlwind. Even when she's tearing hearts in two, you nevertheless desire to stay alongside her for the journey.
A Prime Example of Joy
That playful energy shines clearly on the stunning piano-led ballad inspired by Saint Clare. It luxuriates in a string-drenched melancholy for more than four minutes. Suddenly, everything falls away, and there's a spontaneous laugh followed by a comment before a hilariously exaggerated string surge thuds in like comedic force. The song immediately segues to the wild track featuring racing orchestration, a powerful choir, and a surprise appearance from none other than herself.
"The charm of this album lies in you rarely exactly understand—nor wish to predict—what it will go to next."
Almost every song concludes in a completely distinct place from how it began. A track explores the fleeting trappings of celebrity with a featherlight symphony before disintegrating in digital cacophony. Another, a cut echoing her earlier rhythmic work starts off dark and brooding, featuring prowling vocals, until sudden flamenco rhythms and a heavenly chorus arrive to soften the song's jagged edges.
The Balance Of Art & Accessibility
A key balancing act of Lux is straddling the gap between radical innovation and mainstream appeal. It is little coincidence that the album has become the artist's highest-charting work to break into the upper reaches of key markets: its heart contains a collection of utterly undeniable hits. One track performed primarily in English builds on a chorus that seems to gather increasingly nagging hooks while it spins skyward. This feat gets echoed by another powerful ballad that expands and contracts, intertwining layered melodies as an intricate weave.
- A waltz-like song charms with its playful, theatrical drama and an anthemic hook.
- Lyrically, it aligns with pop culture impact of contemporary heartbreak anthems, lambasting a former lover described as an "emotional terrorist".
- Across the album, the vocals have a sharp smile, akin to a storybook character hiding a knife: "Gold medal in being a scoundrel / You have won the trophy of disappointment."
An Opulent Feast for the Soul
Lux is popular music on a maximalist level, an ambitious grasp for capital-A Art in an era of impending artificial blankness. It rejects solipsism in favor of glorious elevation, crafting an over-the-top drama that skillfully manages its own inherent excess. This is an abundant source of buried gems that takes time to completely explore but never seem like hard work. Where some major pop albums of the year seemed like a meager scraps, Lux offers a sumptuous feast where the guests around the table, perhaps tipsy on holy drink, flutter from conversations about ancient saints, the profound feeling of heartbreaking sadness, and common gossip about useless partners. In essence, it's a modern-day musical from music's truly endlessly creative visionary.
