At Alternative Press, Annie Zaleski rated the album 4 stars, remarking how "Luminous certainly wears its influences proudly; however, the record boasts undeniable energy and urgency".[9]Pitchfork's Ian Cohen said, "They have[…]mastered their sound and vision, and hopefully they can grow to recognize their heart and soul, too",[10] while Heather Phares of AllMusic stated that "Luminous proves the Horrors still have a sense of adventure; they sound comfortable, but not too comfortable to try new things".[5]Consequence of Sound reviewer Kristofer Lenz also praised the album, saying, "Across the board, Luminous represents a solid step forward for the Horrors. With this newly expanded sound and epic scope, they’ve moved beyond their early garage rock and goth influences and are now in conversation with Brit rockers like Muse or Radiohead. While they are still a long way from taking the crown from either of those two, Luminous is a shot across the bow, letting the world know the punks have grown up".[4]
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