On the surface, this work might appear closer to an arduous scholarly challenge than the latest pop record by an artist whose previous single was a collaboration with a global pop icon. Divided across four different movements and sung in 13 languages, this is a breathtaking symphonic opus exploring feminine mystery, spiritual transcendence, and physical change, frequently via the lens of various saintly figures. The dissolution of a relationship—a theme handled with raw openness elsewhere—soars upwards here, buoyed by the constant sound of a major orchestra and work from an award-winning songwriter within a vast roll call of collaborators. The pure audacity alone makes the work of contemporary artists appear quite small.
Transcending Scholarly Exercise
The fact that this album succeeds in avoid dry academic chin-stroking is nothing short of a miracle, and sole credit belonging to Rosalía. While this is not her first album to alchemize historical sounds and modern styles, its scale feel much greater here, with the tightrope walk far more dramatic. What truly elevates her fourth release, beyond its complex tunes, dense compositions, and inherent drama, proves to be an essential sense of joy. Much like the legendary Björk during her peak, you find a wondrous sense to the vocalist's singing which sweeps the listener into its whirlwind. When she is breaking hearts apart, the listener nevertheless want to stay right there for the ride.
A Signature Moment of Exuberance
That playful spirit shines brightly during a stunning Italian ballad inspired by Saint Clare. It bathes in a string-drenched melancholy over more than four moments. Suddenly, everything drops away, to reveal we hear a spontaneous laugh and a declaration before a hilariously exaggerated string crescendo crashes down like cartoonish impact. The track then shifts into the wild single driven by racing orchestration, an imposing choral group, and a surprise role from none other than Björk.
"The magic with this album is that the listener never exactly know—nor want to predict—where it will go next."
Almost each track finishes at a completely distinct point than where it began. One moment explores the fleeting nature of celebrity with a delicate orchestration only to disintegrating into digital cacophony. Another, a cut that recalls her earlier rhythmic style begins off moody and sinister, featuring menacing beats, until fluttering traditional handclaps and an angelic choir arrive to smooth its rough corners.
The Balance Of Art & Accessibility
A key achievement of the album involves straddling the line of radical innovation and mainstream accessibility. It is little coincidence that the album has achieved her first release to crack the upper reaches of major charts: its heart contains a collection of utterly catchy pop songs. A song performed entirely in English builds on a refrain that seems to gather more and more infectious melodies while it spirals skyward. That trick is repeated by another powerful ballad that expands and contracts, weaving layered tunes like a complex tapestry.
- A dance-infused number charms with its jaunty, theatrical flair and an anthemic chorus.
- Lyrically, it shares with cultural impact of other breakup anthems, eviscerating an ex- partner described as an "psychological bully".
- Throughout these tracks, the singing have a painted-on smile, akin to a fairy-tale character hiding a knife: "Gold medal in being a scoundrel / You have the podium of disappointment."
A Maximalist Banquet for the Ears
This album represents pop on a maximalist level, an ambitious grasp for capital-A Art amid of impending AI-generated blankness. It rejects solipsism for sublime transcendence, creating a dramatic drama that skillfully controls its own built-in ridiculousness. It is an abundant source of buried treasure that takes patience to fully mine but doesn't feels like hard work. Where other major pop albums of 2025 seemed like feasting on meal, this record is a sumptuous feast where the characters at it, perhaps intoxicated on holy drink, flutter between discussions about historical figures, the profound feeling of heartbreaking sadness, and common stories about useless partners. It is a modern-day musical from pop's truly restlessly inventive visionary.
