Electronica (Ray Of Light - Madonna)

Member Name: rose_haire

Product:	Ray Of Light - Madonna
Date:	20/12/00 (82 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: different style, a real grower

Disadvantages: a bit incomprehensible and weird sometimes

I know this isn't Madonna's most recent album - Music being out quite recently - but all the wedding business has made me listen to the CD again and realise how brilliant it is. When I first got it I thought it was a bit weird, a bit odd and so didn't play it that often. Now I've realised that it's a real grower and worth lots of listens.

It's common knowledge that Madonna enlisted the help of William Orbit on this album, and the electronic touch is very obvious. Most of the tracks are mid-tempo numbers that really show off Madonna's voice. It just shows how talented Madonna is that she has lasted so long in the pop music business. Perhaps because the songs are all quite slowish (except Ray Of Light) that I didn't listen to it constantly when I first got it. It's not a get up and dance type of album, more a laid back groove type.

There are only 13 tracks on the CD, but I think it is better to have 13 quality tracks than 4 great ones and 15 duff songs (a la Britney - who is now paying tribute to Madge openly!). This album is obviously influenced by Madonna's daughter Lourdes as a lot of the songs are inspired by her. And now on with the tracks!

1 Drowned World / Substitute for Love
The sea seems to be a major influence on this album. It begins with this excellent song which has an intro that sounds very "underwater" with a disembodied male voice. This song is about the pressures of fame, Madonna's voice is lovely on it. This is my favourite song on the CD, a lot of my friends can't see why but for me it's just the best!

2 Swim
Again the sea theme. This is a comforting, inspiring song in the same kind of tempo as Subsitute for Love in which Madonna tells the listener to lean on her and they'll get through all their problems together. Electronic music a strong influence here.

3 Ray Of Light
Massively overplayed on Radio 1 which led to me skipping i
t as the intro just made me feel annoyed. Now I realise that it's a really original pop record. My little brother has the piano music for this and hearing it on a piano really makes you realise the importance of the electronic music.

4 Candy Perfume Girl
Starts with a guitar intro sample. About every girl's dream of being a princess and how "your man" can make you feel like a princess. Mid-tempo (again!). Really gets under your skin, this one!

5 Skin
This is more ballad-like in the intro than the previous hip-hop esque mid tempo numbers, although it speeds up in the middle. It sounds a lot more like early Madonna than Candy Perfum Girl. The electronica is not so prominent at the beginning of the album, but there are a few annoying sample effects. Again this is a fab track with a great groove, more dance-y than a lot of the others on the CD.

6 Nothing Really Matters
This was also released as a single, it's one of the more MOR numbers on the album. It's about discovering the importance of loving others. It's on tracks like this that you can see that Madonna has grown up and matured. The middle section sounds like early Madonna, perhaps this is meant to be a musical reminder of her older style.

7 Sky Fits Heaven
Back to the electronica. Lourdes influence obvious here - "child fits mother so hold your baby tight". Definitely not one of the standouts on the album, although still good, here you can see the spiritual and mystic influences on Madonna's style, for example when she talks about prophets and the Bible.

8 Shanti / Ashtangi
In some other language - sanskrit? punjabi? urdu? I don't know. You can hear Indian percussion instruments in the background. This sounds like a mystic chant, it's actually a yoga tract about worshipping the guru's lotus feet?! This is a bit pretentious though and one of my least favourite tracks.

9. Frozen
Ever
yone knows this one. It's great. The first time I heard it I thought it was nowt special but then I realised it was really good. Quite a long track at 6 mins. Interesting string opening and then it moves into electronica. The video is also really groovy.

10 The Power Of Goodbye
A massive European hit this one. It's the most like a traditional ballad on the CD. About the pain of a separation, this is a really lovely song.

11 To Have and not to hold.
A bit more weird than some of the other songs on the CD, with a bizarre opening. This one's about a partner or lover who is cold and not open to love, a bit like Frozen. You can hear a bit of an Indian influence on this one.

12 Little Star
So obviously about Lola! very very cute. "God gave a present to me". I'd love a song like this written for me, it's very affectionate and genuine.

13. Mer Girl
Back to the aqua influence on the final track. Really no idea what this one is about as it's quite odd and doesn't seem to make a lot of sense, but decent enough as music and in keeping with the rest of the album.

All in all this is a more mature less poppy offering from Madonna which is a valuable addition to any CD collection.

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