Initially, this album may look closer to a challenging scholarly quiz than the latest popular music project from an artist whose previous single was a collaboration with an international pop icon. Split across 4 distinct parts and voiced in thirteen tongues, we have a head-spinning classical-tinged opus that delves into female mystique, religious transcendence, and bodily change, frequently via the lens of different female saints. The dissolution of a romance—a theme treated with raw openness elsewhere—soars upwards here, supported by the lush sound of a full orchestra and input from an award-winning composer within a long roll call of contributors. The pure ambition by itself makes the work of other pop stars seem quite small.
Rising Above Scholarly Pretense
That this album succeeds in avoid dry academic posturing is almost miraculous, and complete credit going to the artist. Although this is not her first album to blend the past with the present, the ambitions are much higher on Lux, and the balancing act more dramatic. What truly elevates this fourth album, beyond its multilayered melodies, rich compositions, and engrained drama, is an essential spirit of fun. Much like the iconic Björk during her height, there is a wondrous quality to the vocalist's singing which sweeps the listener up in its whirlwind. Even when she is tearing your heart apart, the listener nevertheless desire to stay right there for the journey.
A Prime Moment of Exuberance
That playful energy comes forth brightly on a stunning Italian ballad inspired by Saint Clare. It luxuriates in a sorrowful whirlpool over more than four minutes. Suddenly, everything drops away, to reveal there's a gleeful giggle followed by a declaration before a comically exaggerated orchestral crescendo thuds down with comedic force. The song then shifts to the frenetic single featuring galloping strings, an imposing choir, and a surprise appearance from none other than Björk.
"The magic with Lux is that the listener rarely quite know—nor want to know—where it is going next."
Almost each track finishes at a completely distinct place than where it started. A track examines the fleeting nature of celebrity with a featherlight orchestration only to collapsing in digital chaos. Another, a cut echoing the artist's earlier trap-infused work starts off moody and sinister, with prowling beats, until fluttering traditional rhythms and a heavenly choir enter to soften the song's jagged corners.
The Bridge Of Experiment and Accessibility
Another crucial achievement of Lux is navigating the line between bold experimentation and mainstream accessibility. It is little coincidence that it has become the artist's first release to crack the Top 5 of key markets: at its core a collection of utterly undeniable pop songs. A song sung entirely in the English language builds around a refrain that feels to collect increasingly infectious melodies while it spins skyward. That trick is echoed on a different powerful ballad that grows and constricts, weaving layered tunes like an intricate weave.
- A waltz-like number charms with its playful, theatrical flair and an anthemic hook.
- In its words, it shares with pop culture honesty of contemporary heartbreak anthems, eviscerating a former lover labeled an "emotional bully".
- Throughout the album, the vocals carry a painted-on edge, like a fairy-tale character hiding a blade: "Top prize in being a motherfucker / You've won the trophy of letdown."
An Opulent Banquet for the Ears
Lux is pop on a grand level, a hungry grasp for high Art amid of impending artificial blankness. It eschews self-absorption in favor of glorious elevation, creating an over-the-top drama that masterfully manages its own inherent excess. It is a deep well of hidden treasure that takes time to completely mine but never feels like a chore. While some major releases of the year felt like a meager meal, this record is a sumptuous feast at which the characters at the table, perhaps tipsy on sacred drink, flit from conversations about ancient saints, the galvanizing feeling of soul-shattering grief, and shared gossip about useless partners. In essence, it's a contemporary theatrical production from pop's most restlessly inventive practitioner.
