Our Leading Record of the Year: Rosalía's Masterpiece Secures the Top Place.

On the surface, this album might appear closer to a challenging university examination rather than the latest popular music project by a musician who just had a last hit featured an international K-pop icon. Divided into 4 separate movements and voiced in 13 languages, we have a breathtaking classical-tinged album that delves into feminine mystery, spiritual ascent, and physical change, frequently by way of the lens of different saintly figures. The dissolution of a love affair—a theme treated with grounded honesty on another major 2025 album—is launched heavenward here, supported by the constant sound of a full symphony orchestra and work from a Pulitzer-winning songwriter within an extensive list of contributors. Its sheer ambition alone renders the work of contemporary artists appear rather modest.

Rising Above Academic Exercise

The fact that this album succeeds in avoid overly intellectual chin-stroking is nearly miraculous, and sole praise going to Rosalía. Although this is not her first project to blend historical sounds with modern styles, its ambitions feel far greater here, with the tightrope walk far more precarious. The element that really elevates this fourth release, outside of its multilayered tunes, dense compositions, and inherent theatricality, is a core sense of playfulness. Much like the legendary artist at her height, there is a captivating sense to Rosalía's voice which sweeps the listener up in its whirlwind. When she's breaking hearts apart, you nevertheless want to be alongside her for the ride.

A Prime Moment of Exuberance

That playful energy shines clearly during a stirring piano-led ballad inspired by Saint Clare. It luxuriates in a sorrowful melancholy over several moments. Then, everything drops silent, and we hear a gleeful giggle followed by a comment before a hilariously over-the-top string surge thuds down like comedic force. The track then segues into the frenetic single driven by galloping orchestration, an imposing choir, and a cameo role from none other than herself.

"The magic of this album lies in you rarely quite know—or even want to predict—what it will go next."

Nearly every track finishes in a totally distinct place from how it began. A track examines the fleeting nature of celebrity over a featherlight orchestration only to collapsing in digital chaos. Elsewhere, a cut that recalls the artist's earlier trap-infused style begins out dark and brooding, featuring prowling vocals, until fluttering traditional rhythms and an angelic choir enter to smooth its jagged edges.

The Balance Between Art and Pop

A key achievement of the album involves navigating the line between bold experimentation and broad accessibility. This is no surprise that the album has achieved the artist's first work to crack the Top 5 of key charts: its heart contains a suite of truly undeniable hits. One track performed primarily in the English language swells on a chorus that seems to collect increasingly infectious melodies while it spirals upward. That feat is repeated by another powerful track that grows and constricts, weaving layered melodies like an intricate tapestry.

• A dance-infused song charms with its jaunty, Disney-adjacent flair and a chant-along chorus.
• In its words, it shares the pop culture honesty of contemporary heartbreak anthems, eviscerating a former lover described as an "psychological terrorist".
• Throughout the album, the vocals carry a sharp smile, akin to a fairy-tale figure concealing a knife: "Gold medal in acting like a scoundrel / You've won the trophy of disappointment."

A Maximalist Banquet for the Ears

This album represents popular music on a grand level, a hungry reach for high artistry in an era of impending AI-generated blankness. It eschews self-absorption for sublime elevation, creating a dramatic spectacle that masterfully controls its own inherent ridiculousness. It is an abundant well of hidden gems that requires time to completely explore but doesn't feels like a chore. Where other major releases of the year felt like a meager meal, Lux offers a lavish banquet where the guests at the table, some intoxicated on holy wine, flutter from discussions about historical figures, the galvanizing feeling of soul-shattering sadness, and common stories about useless men. In essence, it's a modern-day theatrical production from music's most restlessly inventive visionary.