Initially, this album might appear more like an arduous scholarly challenge rather than the latest popular music project by an artist who just had a previous hit featured an international K-pop star. Split across four distinct sections and performed in thirteen languages, we have a dizzying classical-tinged opus investigating female mystique, spiritual transcendence, and physical change, often through the prism of different saintly figures. The dissolution of a love affair—a theme treated with raw honesty elsewhere—soars skyward here, buoyed by the lush presence of a major symphony orchestra and work from an award-winning composer among an extensive list of contributors. The pure daring alone renders the work of other pop stars appear rather small.
Transcending Academic Exercise
The fact that this album manages to escape overly academic posturing feels almost a miracle, and sole praise going to Rosalía. While this is not the first time album to fuse historical sounds with modern styles, the scale feel far higher here, with the tightrope walk far more pronounced. The element that truly elevates this fourth album, beyond its multilayered melodies, dense compositions, and inherent theatricality, proves to be a core sense of fun. Similar to the iconic artist at her peak, there is a wondrous sense to Rosalía's singing that pulls the listener up in its whirlwind. When she is tearing hearts in two, you still want to be alongside her for the journey.
A Prime Moment of Exuberance
This playful spirit comes forth brightly during a stirring Italian ballad inspired by a saint. It bathes in a sorrowful whirlpool over several minutes. Then, everything drops silent, and we hear a gleeful giggle and a comment prior to a comically over-the-top orchestral surge crashes down like comedic impact. The track then segues to the wild single driven by galloping strings, an imposing choir, and a cameo appearance from the artist Björk.
"The charm of this album lies in you rarely exactly understand—or even want to predict—where it is going to next."
Nearly each track ends in a totally different place than where it started. One moment explores the fleeting nature of fame over a featherlight symphony before disintegrating in electronic chaos. Elsewhere, a cut that recalls her earlier rhythmic style starts off dark and brooding, with prowling vocals, before sudden traditional handclaps and an angelic choir enter to soften the song's jagged edges.
The Balance Of Experiment and Pop
Another crucial balancing act of the album involves navigating the gap between bold innovation and mainstream accessibility. This is no surprise that it has become the artist's highest-charting release to crack the upper reaches of major charts: at its core a collection of truly catchy pop songs. A song performed entirely in English swells around a refrain that seems to collect more and more nagging melodies as it spins skyward. That feat gets echoed on another expansive ballad that grows and contracts, weaving layered tunes like a complex tapestry.
- A dance-infused song seduces via its playful, Disney-adjacent flair and a chant-along hook.
- Lyrically, it aligns with cultural impact of contemporary breakup songs, lambasting a former lover described as an "emotional bully".
- Throughout the album, the vocals carry a sharp smile, like a storybook character hiding a blade: "Top prize in acting like a motherfucker / You've won the trophy of letdown."
A Maximalist Feast for the Ears
This album is pop on a grand scale, an ambitious reach for high artistry amid of looming artificial blankness. It rejects solipsism in favor of glorious transcendence, creating an over-the-top drama that masterfully controls its inherent ridiculousness. This is a deep source of buried gems that takes time to fully mine but never seem like hard work. Where other major releases of the year seemed like feasting on scraps, this record is a sumptuous banquet where the characters around it, some tipsy on holy drink, flutter from conversations about ancient saints, the profound feeling of soul-shattering sadness, and shared stories about hopeless partners. In essence, it's a contemporary musical from pop's truly endlessly inventive practitioner.
