At first glance, this work might appear closer to an arduous university quiz rather than a new popular music record by an artist who just had a previous hit featured a global K-pop star. Split into four different sections and sung in thirteen tongues, we have a head-spinning classical-tinged album exploring feminine mystery, spiritual transcendence, and physical change, often through the prism of various women saints. The end of a romance—a theme treated with grounded honesty elsewhere—soars upwards here, carried by the lush sound of a full symphony orchestra and work from a Pulitzer-winning songwriter within an extensive roll call of collaborators. Its sheer ambition alone makes the efforts of contemporary artists appear rather modest.
Transcending Academic Pretense
That this album manages to transcend dry academic chin-stroking feels nothing short of miraculous, with sole credit belonging to Rosalía. Although this is not the first time album to fuse the past and modern styles, the ambitions are much greater here, and the balancing act far more dramatic. What really raises this fourth album, outside of its multilayered tunes, rich arrangements, and inherent theatricality, proves to be an essential spirit of fun. Much like the iconic artist during her height, you find a wondrous quality to the vocalist's singing that pulls you into its whirlwind. Even when she is tearing hearts in two, the listener still want to stay alongside her for the ride.
A Prime Moment of Exuberance
This playful energy comes forth clearly during a stunning Italian ballad inspired by Saint Clare. It luxuriates in a sorrowful melancholy over more than four minutes. Suddenly, everything falls silent, and there's a gleeful laugh and a comment before a comically over-the-top string crescendo thuds down like comedic force. The track then segues to the frenetic track featuring racing orchestration, a powerful choir, and a cameo role from none other than Björk.
"The charm of this album lies in you rarely quite know—nor wish to know—what it will go next."
Almost every track ends in a totally distinct point than how it started. One moment explores the transient nature of fame over a delicate symphony only to collapsing into digital cacophony. Elsewhere, a cut echoing the artist's earlier trap-infused work starts out dark and brooding, with menacing beats, until sudden traditional rhythms and a heavenly chorus arrive to soften its rough edges.
The Bridge Between Art & Accessibility
A key achievement on the album involves straddling the gap between radical experimentation and broad appeal. It is little coincidence that it has become her highest-charting work to break into the upper reaches of major charts: its heart contains a suite of truly undeniable hits. A song performed entirely in English builds on a chorus that seems to collect increasingly infectious hooks as it spirals upward. That feat is echoed by another expansive ballad that grows and constricts, intertwining multiple tunes like a complex tapestry.
- A waltz-like number charms with its playful, theatrical drama and an anthemic hook.
- In its words, it shares with cultural impact of contemporary heartbreak songs, eviscerating an ex- partner described as an "psychological terrorist".
- Across the album, the vocals carry a sharp smile, like a storybook character concealing a knife: "Top prize in being a motherfucker / You've won the trophy of disappointment."
A Maximalist Feast for the Ears
This album represents pop on a grand level, an ambitious grasp for high Art amid of looming artificial blankness. It eschews solipsism in favor of glorious elevation, creating a dramatic drama that skillfully manages its own built-in ridiculousness. This is a deep source of hidden treasure that takes time to completely explore but doesn't feels like a chore. While other big releases of the year felt like a meager meal, this record offers a sumptuous banquet at which the characters around the table, perhaps intoxicated on sacred wine, flutter between conversations about ancient figures, the galvanizing feeling of soul-shattering sadness, and common gossip about useless partners. In essence, it's a modern-day musical from music's truly endlessly creative practitioner.
