Initially, Lux could seem more like a difficult university examination rather than the latest popular music project by an artist who just had a previous single was a collaboration with an international K-pop icon. Split into 4 separate movements and voiced in 13 tongues, this is a breathtaking classical-tinged work investigating feminine mystery, spiritual ascent, and bodily transformation, often by way of the perspective of different women saints. The end of a relationship—a theme treated with grounded openness elsewhere—is shot heavenward here, carried by the constant presence of a full orchestra and work from an award-winning songwriter within a long roll call of contributors. The pure daring alone renders the efforts of contemporary artists appear quite small.
Transcending Academic Pretense
That this album manages to escape overly academic chin-stroking is nearly a miracle, and full credit going to the artist. Although it's not the first time project to blend the past and the present, the stakes are much higher here, with the tightrope walk far more pronounced. The element that truly elevates this fourth release, outside of its complex melodies, dense compositions, and engrained theatricality, is an essential sense of fun. Much like the legendary Björk during her peak, there is a wondrous quality to the vocalist's singing which sweeps you into its whirlwind. Even when she's breaking hearts in two, the listener still desire to be right there through the journey.
A Prime Example of Joy
This playful spirit shines brightly on the stirring piano-led ballad about Saint Clare. It luxuriates in a sorrowful whirlpool for several minutes. Suddenly, everything drops silent, and there's a gleeful giggle and a comment before a hilariously exaggerated string surge thuds in like comedic force. The song then shifts to the wild single featuring galloping orchestration, an imposing choir, and a cameo role from the artist Björk.
"The magic with this album lies in you rarely exactly know—or even want to know—where it is going to next."
Almost each song concludes in a completely different point than how it started. A track examines the fleeting nature of fame with a delicate symphony only to collapsing into digital cacophony. Elsewhere, a song that recalls the artist's earlier rhythmic style begins off dark and sinister, featuring menacing vocals, until fluttering traditional handclaps and a heavenly chorus enter to smooth its rough corners.
The Bridge Of Art & Pop
A key balancing act on the album is navigating the gap of radical innovation and broad appeal. It is no coincidence that it has become the artist's first release to break into the Top 5 of key markets: at its core a suite of utterly undeniable pop songs. A song performed primarily in the English language builds on a chorus that feels to gather more and more nagging melodies as it spirals skyward. That feat is echoed by another powerful ballad that grows and contracts, intertwining multiple tunes as a complex weave.
- A waltz-like song seduces via its jaunty, Disney-adjacent flair and an anthemic hook.
- Lyrically, it shares the cultural honesty of other heartbreak anthems, eviscerating a former lover labeled an "psychological terrorist".
- Throughout these tracks, the vocals have a painted-on smile, akin to a fairy-tale character concealing a knife: "Gold medal in being a motherfucker / You have the podium of disappointment."
An Opulent Feast for the Soul
Lux is pop on a grand level, an ambitious reach for high artistry amid of impending AI-generated blankness. It eschews solipsism in favor of sublime elevation, crafting an over-the-top spectacle that masterfully controls its own inherent excess. It is a deep source of hidden gems that takes patience to completely explore but never feels like a chore. Where other big releases of the year seemed like a meager scraps, this record is a lavish feast at which the guests at it, perhaps intoxicated on holy wine, flit from conversations about ancient saints, the profound sensation of soul-shattering grief, and shared stories about useless partners. It is a modern-day musical from music's most endlessly creative visionary.
