On the surface, this album could seem closer to a challenging academic challenge than the latest popular music album by an artist who just had a previous single was a collaboration with an international K-pop icon. Divided across 4 different sections and sung in thirteen tongues, this is a dizzying classical-tinged work investigating feminine mystique, religious transcendence, and bodily transformation, often via the prism of different saintly figures. The end of a love affair—a theme handled with raw openness elsewhere—soars heavenward on this record, supported by the constant sound of a full orchestra and work from a Pulitzer-winning composer within a long list of contributors. The pure daring by itself makes the work of other artists appear rather laughable.
Transcending Academic Pretense
That this album succeeds in transcend dry academic posturing is nothing short of a miracle, and full praise belonging to the artist. While this is not the first time project to fuse the past with modern styles, its scale feel far higher here, and the tightrope walk more precarious. The element that truly raises this fourth release, beyond its complex melodies, dense compositions, and engrained theatricality, is an essential sense of playfulness. Much like the legendary Björk at her height, there is a captivating quality to Rosalía's singing which sweeps the listener into its tornado. When she's breaking hearts in two, the listener still desire to stay alongside her through the journey.
A Prime Example of Joy
This exuberant spirit comes forth clearly on a stunning piano-led ballad about Saint Clare. It luxuriates in a sorrowful melancholy over more than four moments. Then, everything drops silent, to reveal there's a gleeful giggle followed by a comment before a comically exaggerated string surge thuds in with cartoonish force. The song immediately shifts into the frenetic track featuring racing strings, an imposing choir, and a cameo appearance from the artist herself.
"The charm of this album is that you rarely quite understand—or even want to predict—where it is going next."
Almost every track finishes at a totally different place than how it started. A track examines the fleeting nature of fame with a featherlight orchestration only to collapsing into digital chaos. Another, a song echoing her previous rhythmic work starts off moody and sinister, featuring prowling beats, until fluttering flamenco rhythms and an angelic choir arrive to soften the song's rough edges.
The Balance Of Experiment and Accessibility
Another crucial achievement on the album is navigating the gap between radical experimentation and broad appeal. This is little coincidence that it has become the artist's first work to crack the upper reaches of key markets: at its core a collection of truly undeniable hits. One track performed primarily in the English language swells around a chorus that seems to gather increasingly nagging hooks as it spirals skyward. That trick gets echoed on a different powerful track that expands and contracts, weaving layered melodies as an intricate weave.
- A dance-infused number seduces via its playful, theatrical drama and a chant-along chorus.
- Lyrically, it aligns the cultural impact of other heartbreak anthems, eviscerating a former lover described as an "emotional bully".
- Across these tracks, the singing have a painted-on edge, akin to a fairy-tale character hiding a blade: "Gold medal in being a scoundrel / You've won the trophy of disappointment."
An Opulent Feast for the Soul
This album represents popular music on a grand level, an ambitious reach for high artistry amid of looming artificial sameness. It eschews self-absorption for glorious elevation, crafting a dramatic spectacle that skillfully controls its built-in ridiculousness. This is an abundant well of buried treasure that requires time to fully explore but never feels like hard work. While some major releases of 2025 felt like a meager scraps, this record is a lavish feast at which the guests around the table, perhaps intoxicated on sacred wine, flit from conversations about ancient saints, the profound sensation of soul-shattering grief, and common gossip about hopeless men. In essence, it's a contemporary musical from pop's most restlessly inventive visionary.
