Ray Of Light

CD Details

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Never underestimate Madonna’s power of persuasion: By nearly all critical accounts, Ray of Light, Madonna’s first album of new material since 1994’s Bedtime Stories, and her first since motherhood, is her richest, most accomplished record yet. While Ray of Light is being tagged as Madonna’s big leap into electronica, it’s important to note two things: First, her music has always had close ties to dance culture, and, second, her collaborator William Orbit is no Chemical Brother. Though it has all the latest blips, bleeps, and crackles electronica has to offer, Ray of Light is still largely an adult album, completely within Madonna’s realm. Still, Orbit’s tasteful sonic constructions provide Madonna with her most adventurous, hippest musical backdrop ever. What’s more, the arrangements and production are understated enough to highlight an even bigger development: Fresh from singing lessons on the Evita set, Madonna’s vocal range, depth, and clarity have never been stronger. But larger pipes don’t necessarily make for deeper, truer music. Never a master lyricist, Madonna’s words have worked best when they’ve practically been slogans (“Vogue,” “Express Yourself”). This time she goes for more emotional depth, and even tries her hand at ethno-techno-mysticism (“Shanti/Ashtangi”). She largely stumbles, however. The tone conveyed on songs like “Nothing Really Matters” is a self-centered pat on the back that belies her claim to a newfound altruism. It’s enough to make you wonder, now that Madonna’s given up being our material girl, if maybe she’s set her sights on becoming the center of our spiritual world too. –Roni Sarig

Product Description

Teaming with noted dance/electronica producer William Orbit, Madonna’s created what has been described as her most sophisticated and personal set of music to date. Adding new colors and sounds to the brilliant pop craft that’s always been her trademark, Ray of Light is a landmark album that’s destined to become one of Madonna’s biggest career successes. The album reunites Madonna with longtime collaborator Patrick Leonard and bows with the 1st single/video, “Frozen.”

Review

[ Ray of Light ] delivers 67 minutes of complex, challenging and ultimately entrancing music without so much as breathing heavily…. [Madonna] sings here in a voice grown deeper and fuller about the emptiness of fame and pleasure … and the rewards of mystic pursuits…. [S]he peppers her songs with apocalyptic visions of death and rebirth, sin, salvation and transcendence…. — People