On the surface, this album might appear more like a challenging university examination rather than the latest pop record by a musician whose previous single featured an international pop icon. Divided across four separate sections and performed in 13 languages, this is a breathtaking symphonic opus that delves into female mystique, spiritual transcendence, and corporal change, frequently through the prism of various women saints. The dissolution of a love affair—a topic treated with raw honesty elsewhere—is shot heavenward on this record, buoyed by the constant sound of a major orchestra and input from an award-winning songwriter among a long list of contributors. Its sheer daring by itself renders the efforts of contemporary pop stars look rather laughable.
Transcending Scholarly Pretense
That this album succeeds in escape overly intellectual chin-stroking is nearly a miracle, with sole praise going to the artist. Although this is not her first project to blend the past and modern styles, its stakes feel much higher here, and the balancing act more precarious. What truly elevates her fourth release, outside of its complex tunes, dense compositions, and engrained drama, proves to be a core spirit of playfulness. Much like the iconic artist at her peak, you find a wondrous quality to the vocalist's singing that pulls the listener up in its tornado. Even when she is breaking hearts in two, you nevertheless want to be right there for the ride.
A Prime Moment of Joy
That playful spirit shines clearly during the stunning piano-led ballad about Saint Clare. It luxuriates in a string-drenched whirlpool over more than four moments. Suddenly, all the music falls away, to reveal there's a gleeful giggle and a declaration prior to a comically exaggerated string crescendo crashes down with cartoonish force. The song then segues to the frenetic single featuring racing orchestration, an imposing choir, and a cameo appearance from none other than Björk.
"The magic with this album is that you never exactly understand—nor wish to predict—what it will go to next."
Nearly each song concludes in a totally distinct place from how it began. One moment explores the fleeting trappings of fame with a featherlight symphony before collapsing in electronic chaos. Another, a song echoing the artist's earlier trap-infused work starts off moody and brooding, featuring menacing vocals, before sudden traditional handclaps and a heavenly chorus enter to smooth the song's jagged edges.
The Bridge Of Experiment and Pop
A key achievement on Lux is navigating the gap between radical experimentation and broad accessibility. It is little surprise that the album has become the artist's first work to break into the upper reaches of major charts: at its core a collection of utterly undeniable pop songs. One track sung entirely in English swells on a chorus that seems to collect more and more nagging hooks as it spins upward. That trick is repeated by another expansive ballad that grows and contracts, intertwining multiple tunes like an intricate weave.
- A dance-infused number charms via its playful, theatrical drama and a chant-along chorus.
- In its words, it aligns the pop culture honesty of other heartbreak anthems, eviscerating an ex- lover described as an "emotional bully".
- Throughout the album, the singing carry a sharp smile, akin to a fairy-tale character concealing a blade: "Top prize in being a scoundrel / You have the podium of disappointment."
An Opulent Feast for the Soul
This album represents popular music on a grand scale, a hungry reach for capital-A Art in an era of looming artificial blankness. It eschews solipsism in favor of sublime elevation, crafting an over-the-top drama that masterfully controls its inherent excess. It is an abundant well of hidden treasure that requires time to completely mine but never seem like hard work. Where some big pop albums of the year felt like feasting on meal, this record offers a lavish feast at which the guests at it, perhaps tipsy on sacred wine, flit between conversations about historical saints, the profound sensation of heartbreaking sadness, and common stories about hopeless men. It is a contemporary musical from music's truly restlessly creative visionary.
