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At first glance, Lux might appear more like a challenging university quiz rather than the latest pop record by a musician whose previous single was a collaboration with an international pop star. Split across four separate movements and performed in 13 languages, this is a dizzying symphonic opus exploring female mystery, religious ascent, and physical change, often through the lens of various women saints. The dissolution of a love affair—a theme handled with grounded honesty elsewhere—soars upwards on this record, supported by the lush sound of a major symphony orchestra and input from a Pulitzer-winning composer among an extensive list of contributors. The pure ambition alone makes the work of other pop stars look rather modest.

Transcending Scholarly Exercise

The fact that Lux manages to escape overly academic chin-stroking feels nothing short of miraculous, and full credit belonging to the artist. While this is not the first time album to alchemize the past with modern styles, its stakes feel much higher on Lux, and the balancing act far more pronounced. What truly elevates her fourth album, beyond its multilayered tunes, rich compositions, and engrained theatricality, is an essential spirit of joy. Much like the iconic artist during her peak, there is a wondrous quality to the vocalist's singing which sweeps you up in its tornado. When she's breaking hearts apart, you nevertheless want to stay right there through the ride.

A Signature Example of Joy

That exuberant energy shines clearly during a stunning Italian ballad about a saint. It bathes in a string-drenched melancholy over several minutes. Suddenly, everything drops away, to reveal we hear a spontaneous giggle followed by a comment before a hilariously over-the-top orchestral surge crashes down with comedic impact. The track then shifts to the wild single driven by galloping orchestration, an imposing choral group, and a surprise appearance from none other than herself.

"The charm with Lux lies in the listener rarely quite understand—nor wish to know—where you will go to next."

Nearly each track ends at a completely distinct point than where it began. A track examines the fleeting trappings of fame over a featherlight symphony before disintegrating in electronic cacophony. Another, a song that recalls her previous trap-infused work begins out moody and brooding, featuring menacing vocals, until fluttering flamenco rhythms and an angelic choir enter to soften its rough corners.

The Bridge Between Experiment and Accessibility

Another crucial balancing act of the album is straddling the gap between radical experimentation and mainstream accessibility. It is no surprise that the album has become her first work to break into the Top 5 of major charts: at its core a collection of truly undeniable pop songs. A song performed entirely in English builds around a refrain that feels to collect increasingly infectious melodies as it spins skyward. This trick is echoed by another expansive track that expands and constricts, intertwining multiple melodies like an intricate weave.

• A waltz-like number charms with its playful, Disney-adjacent drama and a chant-along hook.
• In its words, it shares with cultural impact of other breakup songs, eviscerating a former lover described as an "emotional bully".
• Across these tracks, the vocals carry a sharp smile, akin to a fairy-tale figure hiding a blade: "Gold medal in being a scoundrel / You have the podium of disappointment."

An Opulent Banquet for the Soul

This album represents pop on a maximalist scale, a hungry reach for high artistry in an era of impending artificial blankness. It eschews solipsism for glorious transcendence, crafting a dramatic drama that masterfully controls its own inherent excess. This is a deep well of buried treasure that requires time to completely mine but never feels like hard work. While some big pop albums of 2025 seemed like a meager scraps, this record offers a sumptuous feast where the characters at it, some tipsy on holy wine, flit from discussions about historical saints, the galvanizing sensation of heartbreaking grief, and shared gossip about useless partners. It is a contemporary theatrical production from pop's truly restlessly creative practitioner.