Initially, this work could seem more like a challenging academic quiz than a new pop record from an artist whose previous hit was a collaboration with a global K-pop icon. Split into 4 separate movements and voiced in 13 languages, this is a head-spinning orchestral-influenced album that delves into feminine mystique, spiritual transcendence, and physical change, frequently through the lens of various women saints. The dissolution of a love affair—a topic handled with raw honesty elsewhere—soars upwards on this record, buoyed by the constant presence of a full orchestra and work from an award-winning composer among a vast roll call of collaborators. Its sheer audacity by itself renders the work of contemporary pop stars look quite small.
Transcending Scholarly Exercise
The fact that this album manages to escape overly academic chin-stroking feels almost a miracle, and full praise going to the artist. Although this is not the first time album to alchemize historical sounds and modern styles, its scale are much greater on Lux, and the tightrope walk far more precarious. The element that really raises her fourth album, beyond its complex melodies, rich arrangements, and engrained theatricality, proves to be an essential sense of fun. Similar to the legendary artist during her height, there is a wondrous sense to the vocalist's voice that pulls the listener up in its whirlwind. Even when she's breaking your heart apart, the listener still want to stay right there for the ride.
A Prime Moment of Exuberance
That exuberant energy comes forth clearly on the stunning piano-led ballad inspired by Saint Clare. It luxuriates in a string-drenched melancholy for more than four moments. Suddenly, everything falls away, and there's a gleeful giggle and a comment prior to a comically exaggerated orchestral surge crashes in with comedic impact. The track immediately segues into the wild single driven by galloping orchestration, a powerful choral group, and a surprise appearance from none other than Björk.
"The charm of Lux is that you rarely exactly know—or even want to predict—what you is going to next."
Nearly every track concludes in a totally different place from where it began. One moment explores the fleeting nature of celebrity with a delicate symphony only to disintegrating into digital cacophony. Another, a song that recalls the artist's earlier rhythmic work starts out moody and sinister, featuring menacing vocals, until fluttering traditional rhythms and an angelic chorus enter to soften the song's rough corners.
The Balance Of Art & Pop
Another crucial balancing act on the album is navigating the line of radical innovation and broad accessibility. It is no coincidence that it has achieved the artist's first release to crack the Top 5 of key markets: at its core a suite of utterly undeniable hits. One track sung entirely in English builds around a refrain that feels to collect more and more infectious melodies while it spins skyward. This feat is echoed by another expansive track that expands and constricts, weaving layered melodies like an intricate tapestry.
- A waltz-like song charms via its jaunty, theatrical flair and an anthemic chorus.
- In its words, it shares with pop culture honesty of contemporary breakup songs, eviscerating an ex- lover labeled an "emotional terrorist".
- Throughout the album, the vocals carry a painted-on edge, like a fairy-tale figure concealing a knife: "Gold medal in being a motherfucker / You have won the trophy of letdown."
An Opulent Banquet for the Soul
This album represents pop on a maximalist scale, an ambitious reach for high Art in an era of impending artificial blankness. It eschews self-absorption in favor of glorious transcendence, creating a dramatic spectacle that masterfully controls its inherent excess. This is an abundant source of buried treasure that takes patience to fully explore but never feels like a chore. Where other big releases of the year felt like a meager meal, Lux is a lavish banquet where the characters around the table, perhaps tipsy on holy drink, flutter between conversations about ancient figures, the profound sensation of soul-shattering sadness, and shared stories about hopeless partners. It is a modern-day musical from pop's most restlessly creative practitioner.
