Ray Of Light
by Madonna

From paladisiac TOP 100 COMMENTER 12/12/2011 16:33 | #32763 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

After dipping her toe in the sea of electronica with Bjork's help on her last album, Madonna enlisted William Orbit to helm "Ray Of Light" and it sure paid off. Unlike other madonna albums that sound like singles & filler, this sounds like an "album" -- a thought-out, cohesive idea. And it's pretty solid for a pop-electronica album. "drowned world / substitute for love" is humble and almost brooding with its shuffling backing beat breaking with madonna's passion near the end. "ray of light" is a kickin' club track as is "skin". "frozen" is easily the best track though, haunting even in hummed, unspoken word, beautiful with the opening notes. "how can life be what you want it to be? / You're frozen when your heart's not open." She sounds sad and hopeful and earnest. (The video matched the song's mood well, too.) "the power of good-bye" is a good epilogue to "frozen", playing off of the previous song's mood and content with an acoustic guitar skeleton while learning to say good-bye. The album trails off at the end, but doesn't break the cohesive thread, so the last 2 only-decent songs can be forgiven. It comes off as a successful experiment.

How in hell is this less than 80?! I adore this album, Madonna + trip hop = perfection. I think it's a great pop record, creative, original and with its own life. Her vocals are her best - so calming - the production is really well crafted, I love the guitars and the more ravy tracks are sublime. I don't think it's cold at all, there's a lot going on in each track waiting to be dissected.

Really taken aback at how well produced the whole album was and she sings effortlessly powerfully on here. Touche Madonna.

From telefunker 04/21/2010 03:51 | #10795 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

i don't have this album, but 'frozen' is one of the best-produced songs of all time. anyone that disagrees is likely brain damaged.

From C_Krug2009 12/18/2014 07:32 | #129595 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

Anybody who dislikes this album just doesn't understand music in general. Music is about appreciation of all genres and even pop deserves its fair share of acclaim. This album is brilliant with lush and powerfully emotional soundscapes.