Initially, this work could seem closer to a difficult academic challenge than a new popular music project from an artist whose last hit was a collaboration with an international K-pop star. Divided into 4 separate sections and voiced in thirteen languages, this is a breathtaking classical-tinged opus that delves into feminine mystique, spiritual transcendence, and physical transformation, frequently by way of the perspective of different women saints. The dissolution of a relationship—a theme handled with raw openness elsewhere—is shot skyward here, buoyed by the lush sound of a major symphony orchestra and input from a Pulitzer-winning songwriter within a vast list of collaborators. Its sheer daring alone renders the work of other pop stars look quite modest.
Rising Above Scholarly Exercise
The fact that this album succeeds in avoid dry academic chin-stroking is nothing short of miraculous, with complete praise going to the artist. While this is not her first project to fuse historical sounds with modern styles, the ambitions feel much higher here, with the tightrope walk far more precarious. The element that really raises her fourth release, beyond its multilayered tunes, rich arrangements, and inherent theatricality, proves to be an essential sense of fun. Similar to the legendary Björk at her peak, there is a captivating sense to Rosalía's singing that pulls you up in its whirlwind. When she's breaking hearts apart, the listener nevertheless want to be alongside her through the journey.
A Prime Example of Joy
That exuberant energy shines brightly during the stunning piano-led ballad about a saint. It luxuriates in a string-drenched whirlpool over several moments. Then, all the music falls away, and there's a gleeful giggle and a comment prior to a comically over-the-top orchestral crescendo crashes in like cartoonish impact. The track immediately shifts to the frenetic single featuring galloping strings, an imposing choral group, and a cameo role from none other than Björk.
"The charm with this album lies in the listener rarely exactly understand—nor wish to know—where it is going next."
Nearly every song ends in a totally different place than where it began. A track examines the transient nature of celebrity over a featherlight orchestration only to collapsing in electronic chaos. Another, a cut that recalls the artist's earlier rhythmic work begins off dark and sinister, with menacing vocals, until fluttering traditional rhythms and an angelic chorus enter to soften its jagged edges.
The Bridge Of Art & Accessibility
A key balancing act on the album involves navigating the gap of radical experimentation and broad appeal. This is no surprise that the album has become the artist's first work to crack the Top 5 of major charts: its heart contains a collection of utterly undeniable pop songs. A song sung primarily in English builds around a chorus that seems to collect increasingly nagging melodies as it spirals skyward. That feat is repeated on another expansive ballad that grows and constricts, intertwining layered melodies as a complex tapestry.
- A waltz-like number charms via its jaunty, Disney-adjacent flair and a chant-along hook.
- In its words, it shares the cultural impact of other heartbreak songs, lambasting a former partner labeled an "psychological bully".
- Across these tracks, the singing carry a painted-on edge, like a fairy-tale figure concealing a knife: "Gold medal in being a scoundrel / You've the podium of disappointment."
An Opulent Feast for the Soul
This album is pop on a maximalist level, an ambitious reach for high artistry in an era of looming AI-generated sameness. It rejects solipsism for sublime transcendence, creating an over-the-top spectacle that masterfully controls its own inherent ridiculousness. This is a deep well of buried gems that requires patience to completely explore but doesn't feels like a chore. Where other big releases of the year seemed like feasting on scraps, this record is a lavish feast where the guests at the table, perhaps intoxicated on sacred wine, flit between discussions about ancient saints, the galvanizing sensation of heartbreaking sadness, and shared gossip about useless partners. It is a modern-day theatrical production from pop's truly endlessly creative practitioner.
