Reviews (page 3 of 8)
I thought it worked really well. It did a good job of having a nice variety, while still keeping a consistent vibe. I definitely want to listen to this one again sometime.
I have to say, as we've been going through this and we've been confronting different eras of Madonna, her instincts keep winning me over. She was reliably ahead of the curve, sometimes to the extent that her albums - like this one - were not as highly rated when they came out as they will be/have been in retrospectives.
The album won 4 Grammys, peaked at number one in 17 countries and has a score of 2.9 here. My feeling of being surrounded by straight men is confirmed!
Brilliant
Whether you like her or not, she has influenced music throughout her Career. This album one of her Better later albums.
Pleasant surprise, really enjoyed the combination of Madonna's pop sensibility with 90s trip-hop/electronica/moody songs.
Positivt överraskad av denna. Man har förstås hört hitsen, men i övrigt är det både varierade och välgjorda produktioner som gör att man inte tröttnar, även om skivan är i längsta laget.
I wasn't a fan of William Orbit's album on this list, but I think his work combines really well with Madonna. Interesting electronica that goes nowhere matches really well with Madonna's pop-sensibility. The album is a bit on the long side but its full of nice motivs and weird left turns to keep you engaged. I loved hearing the snippets of Arabian and other world-music on here. Madonna also sounds great on this album. Frozen is also an all time classic.
So much to like about this album! I expected little going in but then spent ages considering whether to rate it 4 stars. If there was a 3.5 I’d go for that but there isn’t. And then The Power Of Goodbye dropped and I was like ohhhhhhh.
Absolute bangers on here mate - icon of the era, takes youbright back to the period. Imagine your face on a screen, all blonde hair and cars whizzing about like flies, all on a time lapse like you're on some balloons or something. Oh I'm madonna, you're madonna, aren't we all madonna?
Pre-listening thoughts: YAYY Madonna!!! I liked Music so excited for this, plus I’ve really been meaning to listen to more Madonna cause she changes her sound up a LOT during her career. Post/during listening thoughts: this is a lot more mellow than I was expecting. But also electronic and upbeat at times, similar to its successor, Music. This kind of goes crazy??? This wouldn’t usually be the kind of music I spring for but even at points where I found myself skeptical, it reined me back in. Lowkey Madonna I might be a fan 8/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: nah Fav tracks: Drowned World/Substitute for Love, Ray of Light, Skin, Nothing Really Matters, The Power of Goodbye, Little Star Least fav tracks: Candy Perfume Girl
nice, I've listened to this a little bit but wanted to spend more time with it. such a cool album, i love just letting myself sink into it. it's probably an 8.5 or 9 out of 10, so i will give it 4 stars
One of her better albums
Madonna really isn’t my type. However, this seventh album is a departure from her earlier style and moves into what I guess is called trip hop. Which might not work for me either, but in its best moments the music shifts and grooves and keeps you engaged. The first half is stronger than the second, but I’m rounding up to 4 stars, even to my own surprise. Also, randomly… I could picture mashing this up with Talking Heads’ “Remain in Light.” Compare Ray of Light to Crosseyed and Painless.
Better than expected.
I do like this but I’m not sure it has aged particularly well. William Orbit had his moment. It’s a bit on the long side too. Want to give it 3.5. Madonna is a pop legend and I did see her live many years ago supported by Technotronic lol so 4 it is
Never a huge Madonna fan -- largely because my little sister absolutely adored her when we were growing up, but I really liked this. Not that there's anything too wild or genre-bending, but a nice set of club bangers, atmospheric beats, and trip-hop adjacent dream pop. Unexpected bangers: Skin, Little Star
This was like an undiscovered album for me, I never heard any of it (save for Ray of Light). It was great.
8/10 Favorite Tracks: Ray of Light, Nothing Really Matters, Mer Girl Least Favorite Tracks: Shanti/ Ashtangi, Little Star
Не моя музыка конечно, но отрицать не буду, хорошое
Listened to this belatedly after getting William Orbit's Strange Cargo III, and yes, his work is better with a melody on top. It's still a little long. 3.5, rounding up to fall between Music and Like a Prayer.
Well, I sort of do, sort of don't, know what I expected from Madge. But what ever did, this wasn't it! And, at the risk of losing the very little street cred I had, I really liked it. It was as though she had listened to what was popy and listened to some more off the beaten track stuff, and combined the best bits of each. And it worked! It was a little bit Kate Bush like, and a little something else that has been on here, but I can't remember who. Mixed with a little bit of the modern pop, and yes it worked. I really want to give this a 4 but am not sure if I should, oh sod it.
What a combination, i like Madonna and i love Wiliam Orbit. At this point in his career, Mr Orbit was at the height of success and called in to produce some of the biggest names in music. So this should be a top album? On the most part, it is, it has thr usual fantastic spacey instrumentation one expects from Orbit, with its electronic bleeps and lush guitar sweeps. But there are a few odd bits like 'shanti shanti' religious stuff yes Madge, we knew you had taken up some obscure religion, but we dont have to hear it on your record. So if she had left the kobblers out and it could have been a high 5. Because of the odd annoying thing its just a high 4.
acho esse uma delicinha
doideira. madonna experimental, super eletrônico, indo pra vários subgêneros diferentes. bem produzido. bem eletrônica europeia downtempo noventista. tudo que nós gosta. inclusive, envelheceu super bem.
Madonna had a kid, did a bunch of religious tourism (typical Los Angeles white lady) and made a killer pop album. The first half of this album is definitely stronger than the second half, but it's still a solid listen.
I thought she sounded good vocally on this album. The album had a different vibe from some of her other works. While the songs sounded very similar they were enjoyable.
It was her voice that lifted it up to a 4 because it was decent in general
her vocals are strong-great control of her tone & depth. "Ray of Light" is great track, and "Frozen" is one of her strongest period (love her vocals and lyrics have depth). but overall the album is just too long. several tracks just lag a bit. still a really nice listen-especially since electronica is not my favorite
Solid, some really great songs. Really nice vibe.
Ray Of Light is a really good album that i wasn't really expecting to sound the way it did. Despite mainly being a pop album, This album was an electronic music lover's dream. It has a lot of the different genres that are well associated with electronic music including techno, trip-hop, ambient, house etc. And i can safely say that every genre that was tried in this album was executed really well. At worst, the songs could just be a little forgettable but most of the songs here were actually pretty catchy and enjoyable to listen to. This is definitely a really solid album. Best Song: Frozen Worst Song: Shanti / Ashtangi Side note: I also noticed that depending on the music video, Madonna could look incredibly different in one compared to the other.
Moins de la bombe que ce que Madonna nous avait donné dans le passé, c’est un album imprégné de sérénité comme nous dit le livre, découlant probablement de la naissance de sa fille Lourdes et de sa conversion à la kabbale. On sent d’ailleurs l’ésotérisme et le mysticisme tout du long, chose qui m’avait rebuté à la première écoute, mais qui donne une cohérence à l’album et le rend doux et agréable malgré plusieurs chansons dansantes, dont deux gros hits : « Ray Of Light » et « Frozen ». L’apogée du mystique arrive avec « Shanti / Ashtangi », qui est très bonne et assez rythmée.
Takes me right back to my college years!
"The One Where Madonna Goes To A Rave" I still consider this one of her best. Maturity and motherhood tempered Madonna's foray into Hebrew/Buddhist mysticism and 90's optimism. This album threw it all in a pot with a dash of pre-millennium tension, thanks to producer William Orbit's techno backbone. At this point, Madonna and Radiohead weren't that far apart. The only knock on "Ray of Light" is a problem of length. This is another CD-era recording that would have been better if trimmed by at least fifteen minutes down to LP length. With eight of its thirteen tracks clocking in over five minutes (and nothing shorter than 4:11), there was plenty of room for editing. The club kids' attention span was getting shorter by the moment and Madge only had one good album left.
Stands the test of time for me. And I believe this is less of an emotional connection than some (Coldplay) so I'm thinking the enjoyment is more genuine.
I like the Indian influence.
This is really a gem. It is grown-up pop with danceability at its highest. Ray of Light is the standout track, but dreamy Candy Perfume and meditative Shanti are really excellent and overlooked. Probably her most mature and listenable album.
Majestic and magnificent. Love it.
Some solid electro pop. I think with how popular electro pop is now, this record feels pretty dated. But it was undoubtedly influential and experimental at its time.
Cool. Apparently the video for the title track gives an approximate expression of the sensory overload some people with autism experience sometimes.
Fav: Ray Of Light Least Fav: Skin It’s MAD to me that she’s ONNA roll with each song on the album. Sorry
Good album, enjoyed most of this. Great production with deep bass, and lots of interesting electronic sounds.
4.0
This was surprisingly nostalgic, I think my parents must’ve loved this record when it came out because I knew every song. Madonna doing trip hop, surprisingly good.
A career highlight from Madge. Lovely William Orbit chill to a lot of the tracks and it works well with her voice.
love!
Title cut i'Ray ofLight" ios great Madonna - as she has matured but still has a different creative voice. Surprised I really enjoyed this. It is more of a dance album than pop.
Madonna – Ray of Light Given that my prior knowledge of Madonna extended only to her providing Die Another Day, one of the weakest Bond themes in history, I wasn’t very optimistic going into this album. But this? This, I liked. Ray of Light marks the intersection of Madonna’s reinvention of her style and my own musical tastes, and the result is excellent. Her vocals shine throughout the album, and William Orbit’s production elevates everything with a spacy, ethereal sound that feels timeless. Standout Song: Frozen (in my opinion, her greatest ever track) Score: 4/5
Remember when this came out, loved it then and love it now. Madonna has turned into something different these days but this is really bright and fun.
This feels like Madonna’s most complete and well paced album - with bangers like the title track and frozen but also a tight set of songs throughout its length. It’s never boring and at times surprising - not what I expected.
non male, madonna in versione trip hop meditativa buddhista
Oh! Madonna is like Kate Bush! Favourite track: Ray of Light.
It's good, but the songs are too long and there's too many of them. Favorite song: frozen
It appears I am a fan of the millennium Madonna.
What a pleasant surprise with this one!! My sister bought this CD when it came out and so I’d heard it a bunch, but that was 20+ years ago!! It was neat listening again after all these years, because there were songs on here that I haven’t heard since I was a teenager, but I was still able to remember some of the lyrics. I don’t think Madonna has an especially magnificent voice. It’s not really all that powerful or versatile in my humble opinion, but what she does posses is creativity and she’s never been afraid to try new things. Her mid to late 90s phase is my favorite and so this album is a thumbs up for me. It isn’t at all boring and even though it sounds very much like a late 90s album I think it holds up well. My favorites on this one were Skin, Nothing Really Matters, Frozen, and The Power of Goodbye.
I was a little surprised as how much I enjoyed this. I don't think it's super revolutionary, but it was cutting edge for the time, and Madonna is one of those artists that makes things that are approachable, of the time they are from, and yet unique. It's quite the combination. So many of her records are great records for the time. Always reinventing herself, never sitting idle.
Good album. Really enjoyed it when it first came out.
Around the time she struck a pose, I stopped listening to Madonna. It was nothing personal. We'd just drifted apart, I thought. We were both getting older, and the shock value was starting to wear off. Sure, I'd revisit the Material Girl if I needed a hit of that nostalgia from high school days. But mostly, I left her work in the rearview mirror. This made listening to Ray of Light for the first time such a revelation. This 1998 album is the club album U2 had hoped they would make with Pop (an album for which I still harbor great affection), a reflective journey through the deeper questions of life that wouldn't seem out of place amid pulsing lights and technobeats on a sweaty dance floor in downtown Miami. Madonna succeeds where U2 fell short because she doesn't come down from the clouds to address the messiness. Instead, she begins in the sinewy sensuousness and lets it lead her to contemplative heights. One of Madonna's gifts is the discipline to stay within her voice's confines and never push beyond her own boundaries. This places the electronica and mesmerizing beats into the forefront as she raises the questions of life, joy, fulfillment, and depth without us having to leave the dance floor. The coyness of the early 80s transforms into a spiritual seeking at the end of the decade that fronts authenticity over artifice.
Even though I’m not a huge fan of Madonna or where her career eventually went, I have to admit this album was pretty forward thinking for a popstar of her stature at the time. Bringing in William Orbit as the producer was a great call. His work really is the backbone of the album’s success. It covers a range of electronic styles but maintains a cool ambient undertone that feels unique for such a massive pop release. Between Madonna and Orbit, they managed to pull it off.
It’s fine. I remember it being such a huge hit when it came out. Her video was on constant rotation on MTV.
Madonna’s electronic-spiritual-mother record released after the drastic post-Erotica mellowing she did to get the Evita role. A sort of return to form but with noticeably less edginess and zero controversy. Some lovely songs with some outstanding music videos.
This is a vibe! Happy I finally listened
Favourite tracks: swim; ray of light; power of goodbye; candy perfume girl
In high school I was a very casual Madonna fan so I was surprised how much I liked this.
Interessante comunque. Ce ne sono un paio notevoli, in generale bello.
Ziemlich viel elektronische Musik.
I actually really enjoyed the production. She also has a great voice. Would never throw it on though.
I dig it! Recognized several 4-5 songs in here. Had Ray of Light stuck in my head all day. Still need to watch the music video again for a nice little middle school flash back VH1 top ten count down
William Orbit's production takes us through a variety of different EDM subgenres. There's particular emphasis on trip hop and downtempo beats, but some of my favourites are the more uptempo ones like Skin with its driving four on the floor beat. I also like Nothing Really Matters and especially Sky Fits Heaven, with its dreamy keyboard melodies and acid tinged synths. Amongst the slower songs, Frozen is a high point, featuring soaring strings and broken up beats. The Power of Good-Bye is another symphonic anthem and maybe the best pure pop song here. Not all the tracks hit, but the good ones are very good.
Definitely liked this more than I thought I would. I don't like a lot of what I've heard of Madonna's mid career, but this stands out as an exception. It has a great blend of alt pop with just the right amount of experimentation.
Didn’t expect to like this so much.
I remember when this came out. Don’t remember the songs. This opening track is great. This is a really good album. I do remember “Ray of light” once I heard it.
Idk Madonna’s work outside of her hits. The only other album of hers I’ve heard is that soulless cashgrab country album that I gave a one-star review. This doesn’t feel as I would have expected a Madonna album to feel, but I really like it.
i was pleasantly impressed by this album, having started it with minimal expectations. the pop albums i have previously rated have gone no higher than 2/5, but madonna managed to break that mould. in some respects, this album felt like listening to one long song, that changed and modulated gradually. the album’s mix of techno-pop, psychedelia, ambience, and any number of other genres flowed really nicely. her vocals on this album are first-class, and are a refreshing move away from her traditional pop style. it’s a great background album, creating its own relaxing, gentle atmosphere. one of her greatest works.
Beautiful album. I was not familiar with this Madonna album, but I really enjoyed it. The only song I knew was Ray of Light.
This was a complete opposite of my recent (yet sparse) reviews where I was excited going in to the album, then let down. This one I was real self conscious about listening to while at the gym and quickly locking my phone before anyone could see the album cover. The way each song starts is kinda cringey and cheesy but boy I’ll tell u what, once the “beat” drops in each song, I was kinda jammin. Don’t really know any Madonna stuff other than like a prayer but I thought this was a good affirmation that she is super talented even though I didn’t know any of these songs.
Good dance album
Only her 7th studio album and it might be her Pepper! A good listen. I’ve always liked the title song Ray of Light and wasn’t familiar with the rest of the album. Solid effort to reinvent the genre.
Madonna's big come back album after a few years break, more dance beats and 90s influence but it definitely launched her to legend status. This is one of her best and works well when paired with follow up album Music, still not my favourite album of hers that is Like A Prayer but this has some bangers on it in the form of the title track, Substitute For Love & Frozen.
I love all of Madonnas eras but I’m more partial to her earlier work. That being said, this is a great album. 25 years into her career she was still producing chart topping and memorable music. I saw her on her recent tour and several of these songs made the cut and with a career as long as hers, that says a lot.
Definitely my favorite Madonna album, though most of my favorite Madonna songs are elsewhere. I remember being super surprised at hearing this album, as I was already post-college and not really paying any attention to Madonna at this point. I did listen to William Orbit, and this collab was shockingly good. Props to the master of staying relevant through generations.
Surprised by the minimal electronica. Perhaps I would like an instrumental version even better?
Madonna kurottaa korkealle..
I quite liked this. The slower tempo and more contemplative lyrics are not what you might expect from Madonna and her voice is showcased beautifully. I like the trip-hop / electronic production too. Not sure it has enough quality to justify the running time though, feels a bit dragged out.
Album is off to a really strong start with Drowned World / Substitute for Love. Not at all what I was expecting, in the best of ways. Similar can be said for Swim, which borrows a very 90s downtempo electronic beat effectively. I wasn't able to focus as much as I would have preferred, but did listen through twice. This is the first Madonna album I've ever listened to and was truly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I liked the way that she embraced the 90s electronic and wrapped her voice around the instrumentals. All around solid and unexpectedly enjoyable. 4 / 5
Необычный альбом в духе Enigma. Но кроме одной композиции особо он не запомнился, хотя в целом он создаёт очень приятное впечатление.
Woahhhh no one told me Madonna made an art pop album with triphop beats!? Love it!
Wow! Usually when a pop singer has a good voice they draw all the attention from the music to it, which is good for singles, but makes the whole album sound the same (and often boring). Here I think they found the perfect balance Shanti / Ashtangi sounds like a LocoRoco song
Pretty good, but it's still no Like a Prayer.
Another album that just screams 90s. I've heard many of these songs, at least 'Frozen' and 'The Power of Good-bye', but I had no idea it was Madonna who made them. Doesn't feel like a Madonna album - it's a bit too tame. Even though I think much of the text is quite cheese or pretentious, I have to say I dig the overall feel of the album. Lots of nice electronic elements with mellow sound scapes, strings, and so on. It might be nostalgia, but I think most of the songs are pretty good for what is. It definitely doesn't feel fresh or modern, but that's ok. I think I will have to give this a weak 4 actually. I don't know if it's nostalgia, but I think it's overall quite decent. I also feel like I'd rather listen to this again than pick up many of my 3 star albums.
Maybe it was because I had really low expectations of Madonna, especially outside of the 80s, but I thought this album was filled with bangers! The first song alone stopped me and I found myself going back every 2 to 3 songs to heart them. It reminded of a Madonna-ized version of Kate Bush's The Red Shoes. An enjoyable pop with a slight twist to it.
Almost in spite of myself, I think this is magnificent; William Orbit’s soundscapes - with nary a musical instrument within earshot - married to Madonna actually sounding like a singer resulted in a milestone in electronica. Now, this is not the kind of stuff that I would / could listen to for more than a track or three but I was beaten into submission. “Frozen” is both beautiful and brutal, “Shanti…” is hypnotic, while the title track sounds like it was fuelled by the stuff von Braun pumped into the Saturn V. Peak Madonna.
I never listened to this album. First track was good, second track reminded me of Beth Orton who I love. Seems Madonna did it first. Ray of Light is back to Disco Madonna, the 'And I Feel' part reminds me of some other song. I started paying less attention.... pop drivel with some nice effects. Some yoga talk with a dance beat, go figure. The production values are excellent, all the extra sound effects are great. Popping from right to left. My speakers love this album. Headphones would be awesome. Little Star has a bunch of sonic layers. 3+* doesn't exist.
Good album. It is interesting to hear pop music incorporate a bit of DnB/UK electronic music.
Good
4st
First Madonna album I've listened to. That was good.
Well this one really surprised me by its mood and feel. Sounds like Madonna was listening to Massive Attack and their ilk and took copious notes...amd that's a good thing. I can't imagine any other Madonna album, and I don't think I've ever listened to any Madonna album the whole way through, holding my interest thge way Ray of Light did. So very enjoyable. 4 stars
I respect Madonna for having the gumption to make a whole pop record founded on trip-hop and electronica in a time when that idea wouldn't have been on anyone's radar. And she pulls the ambitious effort off really quite well, with lots of futuristic tracks on here. 7/10
Title track carries
So it's kind of impossible to ignore the cultural appropriation that permeates Ray of Light. Putting that somewhat awkward truth aside, this album has some catchy tunes, and the dark, slinky, trip-hop influences and sonically interesting tones throughout are awesome. The layering of these songs is really pleasing to the ear. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Ray of Light the album, and can understand why critics and many Madonna fans (and the Queen of Pop herself) still consider this her greatest record. Interesting factoids from Wikipedia: *Following the release of her compilation album Something to Remember (1995), Madonna started taking vocal lessons in preparation for her role in Evita (1996). She would also give birth to her daughter, Lourdes, later in 1996. These events inspired a period of introspection. "That was a big catalyst for me. It took me on a search for answers to questions I'd never asked myself before", she said to Q magazine, in 2002. During the same period, she embraced Kabbalah and started studying Hinduism and yoga, all of which helped her "step outside [myself] and see the world from a different perspective". Madonna felt that there was a "whole piece" of her voice left unused, which she decided to utilize for the album. *Madonna herself has considered Ray of Light the most fulfilling evolution of her career, with her referencing it as the "quintessential Madonna album" in a 2013 Reddit AMA. Standouts: Drowned World/Substitute for Love, Swim, Ray of Light, Nothing Really Matters, Frozen, The Power of Goodbye
Before listening to this album I never liked Madge. Now I like Madge a bit - good show.
It was extremely brave of Madonna to release an entire album of PlayStation 2 boss fight anthems a full three years before anyone on the west had access to a PlayStation 2. Four stars.
i'm surprised how much i liked this...
That was great. Awesome marriage between rock and pop
Very good album. Not like the Madonna that pop
Frozen has some elements of her prior music special. Sorta the soft melodic humming. Then there are some really uptempo songs that work less well. It seems there's a formula to getting into the nightclub playlist that she's following. It's an expansive album at over an hour.
Strangely enough, I have never listened to a Madonna album. This was easy listening at its best.
Probably the most mature album of Madonna's I have heard. Obviously it's William Orbit that did it. His production took this to a whole other level. But Madonna trying to sing differently was a big step forward. I really enjoyed this album, although the last song kinda dragged it down a bit. I would definitely recommend it as one of her better albums if people wanted something of hers to listen to. Top songs: "Ray of Light," "To Have and Not To Hold,"
This album has a very trippy vibe - stellar Madonna vocals (and lyrics) but also some very slick techno production. I remember when this album came out and rightly put Madonna back on the map. But I never listened to anything beyond the singles Ray of Light, Frozen, and The Power of Goodbye. They are all very good, but the real gems are the opener Drowned World / Substitute for Love (trance-like beat and Madonna's vocals pierce the soul), Swim (more slick beats), Shanti / Ashtangi (very cool Indian sound) and Little Star (what a beautifully written tribute to her daughter). Two other good but not quite as good songs are Candy Perfume Girl (reminds me of Garbage) and Mer Girl (a little disturbing but something eerily captivating about it). Not quite a 5, but a very, very good album. Kudos Madonna.
Continuing my "damnit, Madonna's not actually bad??" tour - this is a pretty good album. Not a five - far too repetitive, but definitely sounds very good. Favorite tracks: Drowned World/Substitute for Love (very cool chill opener), Swim (caught my attention every time I listened), Sky Fits Heaven, The Power of Good-Bye. Wish the album ended on Little Star, a nice song for her newborn daughter, because the lyrics on Mer Girl definitely bring things down ("And I smelled her burning flesh / her rotting bones / her decay" ...eww).
Madonna's return to the limelight. Complete shift in look and sound. Some tracks are a little heavy on the Kabballah she is now into but some great dance numbers as always.
Madonna's Ray of Light is a standout album with infectious singles, masterfully produced by William Orbit. Its introspective and spiritual themes contribute to its reputation as her magnum opus. The album's successful fusion of electronica and pop played a pivotal role in bringing the genre to the mainstream, showcasing Madonna's enduring influence in the music industry. NUMBER OF BANGERS - 5 STAND OUT TRACK - Drowned World / Substitute For Love
favourite song: candy perfume girl fun album! very good songs and lyrics all round just very good!
Great stuff, brings back memories of me as a 12uy old. Wouldn't listen to it for long now, but certainly well aged songs.
Better and more substantive the one expected, and of course very well made, produced. A spiritual practice and motherhood seem to have added some depth. The better material is front loaded. "Substitute for Love" is sneaky-affecting. "Ray of Light" a banger, with a great false-front opening, from whence comes much of its power, specifically the leap from the quiet/mellow first bit to the driving/infectious hook that dominates the balance of the song. "Nothing Really Matters" shows the lady not trying too hard and working effectively in mid-tempo mode. The lullaby of club music at the end is a bit treacly (though not terrible). The raga, which is not terrible, is pretty weak chai, even accounting for direct cultural appropriation; might she have been angling for a role in a Bollywood pic?
Actually bloody loving this
Great album, probably one of the better female pop records on this list, this album is psychedelic pop meets techno, and honestly as my first intro to Madonna's music I was very pleasantly surprised. Great production throughout the whole album, and although I might not revisit this album too many times (not a big fan of pop), I think it certainly earns its placement on this list. 3.5/5
I loved this album when it was released and spent many summer afternoons listen to it. It holds up surprisingly well and Madonnas voice sounds better than on any of her previous albums. Solid production.
I enjoyed this much more than I thought I would. It's kind of haunting sounding and not poppy.
Was very interesting - had a lot of electronic stuff and stuff It was unique
Con la voz característica de Madonna, canciones con ritmo, muy bien producidas y desprendiendo optimismo. Buen disco
A really good pop album!
I do like this album and it has everything to do with a certain William Orbit. In fact I consider it more his than hers but that's my opinion. It shows how important a producer can be. Some great tracks on this and a good vibe for chilling or dancing.
Olen yllättynyt! Koska pidin koko levystä. Jos koskaan on aivan viimeisen päälle mietitty ja tuotettu kokonaisuus, niin nyt. Virheettömyydestä jopa miinus. Pikkusen irvistin amerikka-aksentti-shantille, mutta se nivoutui kummasti Frozeniin (joka on upea). Spotify on nyt tyytyväinen, kun sai mut vihdoin kuuntelemaan tän levyn, kun on sitä mulle viimeisen vuoden yrittäny suosituksissa tunkea. You know me
Big time cool vibes here. Favourite songs: swim, nothing really matters, ray of light (Austin powers duh), frozen, the power of goodbye (love these last two songs especially wow). I don’t know this might almost be a 5
Very good for a “my life’s really hard cause I’m famous” album
A surprisingly good Madonna album? I never thought I'd see the day where I completely liked one of her album.
Så bra! 90-tallet, pop, nydelig. Madonna ass. Favorittlåt: Sky Fits Heaven og Frozen
Lekker album, veel goede nummers en af en toe een matige.
The song Ray of Light is my guilty pleasure, it touches something inside of me that evokes more joy than a song should, especially from a genre one doesn't normally listen to. I hadn't heard the rest of the album before and although it doesn't hold up to the title track the electronic, dance, and ambient beats made for an enjoyable listening experience.
A mature record that works on several levels. There's some meaning and soul (no doubt down to her developing spirituality and the perspective of motherhood), but also fun and lively. Title track slaps, absolutely and there are a greater number of additional moments of depth and quality than perhaps her past led one to expect.
Het kan aan m'n bui liggen, maar dit beviel me onverwacht goed!
While it sounds very of its time, still largely enjoyable.
4/5. At first listen, I was not a fan of this album but on second listen, I really enjoy the aesthetic and the songs stand out much more than before. There are some heavy hitters and some experimental songs that feel like the songs are written by a professional willing to branch out and explore new sounds, making it a refreshing and well-produced listen. Sure not all songs are perfect but I am glad I gave this one a second chance.
The hindi song was weird but Madonna got them downtempo BEATS
I was struck by a few things about this album: William Orbit’s production was contemporarily criticised but retrospectively celebrated for helping to bring EDM into the mainstream. Madonna was contemporarily criticised but retrospectively celebrated for her Eastern cultural influences in this album. It’s almost as if critics decide that what they say in the present is outdated when asked to retrospectively view it 2 decades later. The disc is good.
I only knew Madonna through her hits (that's a lot of songs) but had never listened to a full album of hers before. My respect for her has only grown. This album is so well written that I immediately heard this was the album with frozen on it. It's not just a collection of songs, but really an album. If the strength of the start would last for the whole album this would have been a 5 star but it's gonna be a 4 star.
Never a fan of Madonna… but this album is great. Groovy electronica
Good!
Great embrace of 90s dance music combined with Madonna's pop flair, as good as her classics and surprisingly deep with good songs.
What a cool era for madonna! One of my fave Madonna Erass
I've never been a massive fan of Madge, but I recall the impact this album had back in the late 90s. A worthy and memorable reinvention with some classic tracks. Well done. It was all downhill from here (cue worst James Bond theme ever)
"Ray of Light" is the seventh studio album by American singer-songwriter Madonna. The album was a stylistic departure from her previous album as she incorporated electronica and techo-pop. She also covers various genres including ambient, trip hop, art pop, pyschedelic music and Middle Eastern music. Lyrics tend to be mystical as Madonna was studying Hinduism, Buddhism and Ashtanga Yoga and just had given birth to her daughter. The album received wide-spread critical acclaim including some calling it her best album and commercially did very well reaching #1 in 17 countries and selling over 16 million copies. Wind blowing opens "Drowned World/Substitute for Love." A downtempo ballad with her singing softly. A nice building guitar. Madonna is holding herself accountable for her life and fame and assessing her career. She goes straight uptempo techno-dance in "Ray of Life." A prominent guitar and modulating synths. A mystical look at the universe and how small we are. One of my favorite Madonna songs. She continues the dance going in "Nothing Really Matters." An ambient sound too. "Frozen" was the first single released. An electronic ballad with strings. About a cold and emotionless man. It does a good job of making you feel emotionally cold too. Her other singles are also ballads. "The Power of Good-Bye" is emotional and more techno. Loss and longing. "Little Star" continues in the electronic area and is about Madonna's dayghter. This album is very much ambient and chill. A spiritual vibe. Madonna's voice is fantastic as she had been taking vocal lessons for her role in "Evita." Overall, this is an excellent album and definitely if not her best near the top.
This album was a pleasure. I had always wanted to get round to listening to it, I was a big fan or her first album but I think some of her material is quite poor when she isn't pushing herself sonically. William Orbit does alot of the heavy lifting on this album. His production work is outstanding. The music is very solid and at points tremendous. Negatives: it's maybe a little baggy in the middle, but just when you think the album I'd slowing down a little, Frozen appears and carries the rest of the album. I will give this album middle FOUR. And I may revisit it in future. Enjoyable
Sweet and melodic - enjoyed this a lot. 4.5
This album was really interesting. The first track was really dreamy, had me thinking it would be just the standard somber type album. But then the next track has a dance beat to it & is a bit psychedelic, some lean heavy into electro pop, then some of the tracks are downright trippy like “Skin”. Idk I thought this was very fun personally, however it definitely dragged at times. In the 3-4 range, but I’ll settle with a 4.
Nothing really matters is an absolute heater. The wispy vibe of this album is hit or miss for me Overall, I was into it, wish I wasn’t boozing by a lake so I could be more on its wavelength.
Hyvä pop-levy. Tosin toi shantishanti oli kyllä aika vaivaannuttava. Oon etsinyt tätä jo pidempään vinyylillä mutta on pahuksen kallis 4/5
Nice
Ahh yes, the Von Dutch trucker hat of Madonna's career. Super fun and enjoyable, filled with fluffy ease and fake beauty. Life is short, ignore that feeling of guilt and enjoy yourself.
I'm gonna have to break with the group on this one. I think "Ray of Light" absolutely deserves to be on the list, and beyond belonging is actually an album I quite enjoy and give much credit to. I previously remarked about how I thought "Like a Prayer" was not the right Madonna album for the list, but not so here. As a whole, this might be the Madonna album I like best (that I've heard). The decision to make a hard shift to electronica was a bold move by a pop star as big as Madonna. I think in 2023 we forget a bit how big she really was. She is the best selling female artist of all time, in part due to longevity. She was an incredibly influential cultural icon. And yet, nearly two decades into her career, she tried something new. Electronica was pretty underground in the 90s, but a lot of music historians point to this album's role in helping push it more into the mainstream. Many critics regard it as Madonna's best album, so of all the embarrassing albums on the 1001, the most critically acclaimed album by the greatest selling female artist of all time doesn't seem to fit in that category? But regardless of its cultural impact, I actually found that I quite like the album. None of the elements in the album are groundbreaking in their own right (though Madonna had worked to improve her otherwise pedestrian vocals), but it was that the pop icon was delving into electronica, trip hop, trance, and psychedelic Eastern music make it special. Madonna should be commended for the choice to break away from traditional pop producers she had worked with like Babyface, and instead trust William Orbit to guide her in this new direction. Madonna was already becoming, aside from her mainstream celebrity, a bit of a club icon in the 90s. But "Ray of Light" cemented her ability to walk in both worlds.
Madonna's best album according to the critics. I'm not a great admirer of La Ciccone, but I do like this album a lot, even if William Orbit's production lends the whole thing a fairly predictable vibe in terms of sound.
I actually don't mind Madonna jumping on this bandwagon, I think it's because its largely a bandwagon I like and she has made some effort to extend her vocal range to the genre. If you want to get all "how do you do fellow kids" wind forward a few more albums for the real pandering crap. That said, this is overly long, even the hits feel bloated when listening in context of the album. If it was 20 minutes shorter there may even be a 5 in here.
Pleasant surprise this morning getting this; I had forgotten about this record and hadn't heard it in ages - when it came out it was the first time in my life that I voluntarily kept going back to a Madonna album. Not about the vocals (which to be fair are rather pedestrian, but that's more than ok here - it fits as just one small part of the entire package) but about the whole trip-hop vibe. It's the kind of album you sorta wish wasn't just given to "Madonna" but credited to a group because this is obviously a massive collab. Regardless, she mentions that she spent longer writing and re-writing songs on this album than at any point in her career - definitely worth it. I love the production, love the heaviness of some of the songs e.g. "Candy Perfume Girl" has a heavy dance/techno vibe that was unlike anything I'd heard from her before. Other faves: "Swim" "Frozen" Overall it's a bit long and by the latter half I'm left with the feeling like...ok i'm done; getting tedious. Keeping it positive though - if this were cut down to ~9 or 10 songs it might have been perfect, but it's still an excellent album crossing a few genres. 7/10 4 stars
Este sí que es una master piece de esta artista. Lo escuchado varias veces en la juventud. Lindos recuerdos.
I like Madonna and her music, and really admire her as person. I say that because the older I get, the more I realize how cruelly she has been -- and still is -- treated publicly. I honestly do not believe she'd get a fraction of the sh*t she gets if she were male. Even this year (2023) when she appeared at the Grammys to present an award, the public comments about her looks -- in her mid-60s -- were embarrassing. We have a long way to go, people. A long way to go. Back to this album. I had not heard it before and I don't recall hearing any of the tracks from it, and I'm glad this project served it up. Her great sense of composing and arranging songs is evident, and I like the style of music she chose to make for this record. She's always had a superb ear and voice for melody, and it shows here too. Good for you for being who you want to be when you want to be, Madonna. If people need to put you down for it, so be it: it says everything about them and nothing about you. Play on!
Definitely a bit of a surprise. I was very aware of most of the singles on this album and have heard, and played, them quite a bit in my life. Frozen, Ray Of Light, Power Of Goodbye are one by one incredibly strong songs, written by a very talented songwriter. The album might not be strong throughout - there's certainly some filler on here and the album could lose some minutes - but it also has a few songs that might just be the best Madonna has released in her career, especially the very danceable tracks 'Sky Fits Heaven' and 'Skin' A solid 4*
Can't say I've ever listened to a full Madonna album before, this is really good! Great dance music, lush soundscapes, great voice, great beats, I'm impressed. No wonder people like her so much. It's a little too long though.
Very consistent cohesive album. I liked it.
Wow... Creative, engaging, satisfying, this album caught me off guard and then some
Really enjoyed it. 2 bangers of singles and the filler was alot better than expected
top 3 mejores discos de madonna este disco es increible tiene una produccion tremenda un uso de los sintetizadores inmejorable combinado con unos breaks de bateria que aportan mucho al disco y a la atmosfera del mismo tema favorito:skin
7/10. I liked all of this, but I wouldn't listen through the whole album again.
This is pure nostalgia for me and it turns out may also have been the origin album for my new found love of Trip Hop. Ray of Light, Frozen, etc are among my favorite Madonna songs. Post-Evita Madonna with this album and Music is peak Madonna for me. Also, creeper - this isn't a 3, so SMD!
Spiritual Madonna with trance tracks. I was never a huge fan of the song Ray of Light but have always enjoyed the album as a whole. Little Star was an ode to her eldest daughter, Lourdes, which always warms me, and Frozen is one of my favorite songs of all-time - I can listen to it on a loop & the video is spectacular. Solid 4.
Outstanding side A existing in tension with kind of a dull side B. I dunno, this one really excited me at the start, but I didn’t end it with the same enthusiasm
Great mix of dance pop, bass-heavy club jams, world music and atmospheric electronica. The production is phenomenal and the music isn’t formulaic and cookie-cutter like a lot of pop music today. There’s some really cool choices and instrumentation. The songwriting is very strong too! Man, “Ray of Light” is an incredible song. One of those dance tracks that can turn your living room into a club. Impossible to resist. Highlights for me after the first listen or two: “Swim,” “Ray of Light,” “Candy Perfume Girl,” “Ashanti/Ashtangi”
petit bonus car album hivernal très bien tombé
I feel like I've been saying this a lot lately, but honestly this album was better than I thought it would be. For a pop album, it's very moody and introspective. The electronic music is not groundbreaking for the period, but it's also revolutionary compared to where pop was at when this album was released. The songs are consistently good, and I never felt like this album was pandering. The production is excellent and each song seems to flow into the next in a way that makes it really easy to put on and just listen to 4/5
That Shanti song can fuck right off to cultural appropriation hell but the rest of the album is solid. Not music I love but it all has a perfectly nice groove, perfect for focusing on work. Don't pay too much attention to some of the silly pop lyrics though.
Hey, her voice definitely got better in the 10-year gap between this and "Like A Prayer" so that's nice. I didn't hate this. In fact, I... I think I kind of liked it. I'm shocked. Shocked, I tell you! The vibe here is solid. An hour is too much, though. It definitely wore me out by the end but it's still super solid overall.
Better than a lot of pop artists today. Ok for background listening. A little to electro for me
Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Ray of light, Frozen, Nothing really matters
absolutely beautiful, but not incredibly consistent, the great songs are amazing but there are quite a few skips imo
solid album
She was veering dangerously close to a Fat Elvis period, only to successfully pull off something of a miracle. It was ahead of its time and blazed a new path for pop music. Further proof that Midge could always pivot and often times be vital.
a la madonna
Probably her best album. Her first album is massively underrated but sounds a bit dated. Having not listen to this one in ages, it's definitely got that late 90s sound in parts . 24 years old and yet feels like yesterday... Not listened to it in a bit so had forgotten some of the songs. A few listens in and it all comes flooding back She still doesn't get her dues as a songwriter.
The singles from this album are absolute FIRE! I really enjoy this era of Madonna. The overall flow and point of view here is so cohesive and focused. She's still putting a very trite spin on all of the Eastern ideologies she's exploring, but it is an impressive feat of adaptation and growth for Madonna's music and artistry when you consider where she started. Even though I fucking hate electronica with the fiery burning of a 1000 suns, somehow I like it when it's been heavily distilled through Madonna.
I actually like the religiosity of this album, combined with the electronica sounds, which makes it kind of like a meditative trance of an album.
Classic Madge!! Absolutely lovely, great beats, perfect for dancing, interesting sounds, great melodies and lyrics. Sky fits Heaven is absolutely banging and of course Ray of Light what a banger.
I love this album. I think it's a much more honest Madonna, post her 80s heyday and pre her 'gone a bit mad' era. The production is really good as well. Not all songs are brilliant but overall I do like it a lot
A very solid album. Like the production and more laid back vibe for Madonna
As much as I've enjoyed the "hits" of Madonna, never did I think I'd enjoy a whole album. TIL.
8,5
Not what I expected from a Madonna album! It had its naff moments, but a few corkers and just generally a good time. I have been singing Ray of light non-stop for the last few days, which might just eek this one to a 4.
Without the vocals it would sound like a cyberpunk computer game soundtrack, and I don't think the vocals take anything away from that.
Good
Her best and includes Frozen, a VFX job from yesteryear
Electronic dance pop. Surprisingly good time.
At first, I was not really into it. But then the album picked up for me after a few tracks. Skin & Sky Fits Heaven are beautiful. Pleasantly surprised, as this is my first ever listen to a whole Madonna album.
Madonna reinvents herself again! I'm used to the OG pop Madonna but enjoyed this alternative electronica vibe. I would have personally chosen one of her earlier albums, but reading the Wiki it seems this album was groundbreaking at the time (I'm too young to remember!) As others have said, it was a tad too long, but who am I to argue with the Queen of Pop? I liked 'Frozen' and the title track the most.
It's a William Orbit album innit, and a good William Orbit album at that. It just happens to have Madonna singing over the top. It probably would have been better without Madonna singing on it but then it probably wouldn't have made this list. So there you go.
Fun when it came out. Dated now but broken new ground for her at the time.
very solid, enjoyed it more than I thought.
Kolejna odslona Madonny na liscie, tym razem juz z okresu gdzie byla niekwestionowana krolowa popu, a jak to krolowe maja prawa do wszelakich eksperymentow i wyznaczania nowych granic muzycznych, tak wiec Ray of Light jest odsluchem o wiele bardziej zroznicowanym niz like a prayer, a nawet bym powiedzial, ze mniej popowo a bardziej elektronicznie, bo ludzmi odpowiedzialnymi za produkcje sa tu william orbit, patrick leonard i rick nowels, czyli szpece w dziedzinie tri hopu i szeroko pojetej elektroniki co czuc podczas odsluchu, bo plyta brzmi jak cos co mogl wypuscic moby, nie ma tutaj zbyt duzo zywych instrumentow, wszystko jest produkowanie elektronicznie co daje albumowi 2k00 feeling, ale zachowany jest dobry balans pomiedzy trakami wolniejszymi, a kawalkami z wiekszymi bpmami, jesli chodzi o szybkosc albumu, to pacing przypomina tutaj troche sinusoide startuje wolno, zeby osignac najwyzsze bpmy na sky fits heaven, po czym traczek inspirowany hinduizmem i joginizmem shanti/ashtangi, ciekawy i egzotyczny kawalek, bo jest on spiewany w hindi, a tekst pochodzi podobno z tekstow wedyjskich, reszta plyty utrzymana jest tez raczej w wolniejszym tempie, ktory pasuje do kontentu lirycznego jaki serwuje madonna, bo wydaje mi sie, ze plyta jest o wiele bardziej osobista niz poprzedni material ktory mialem okazje sluchac, wiele odniesiec do swojej malej corki, little star jest chyba nawet bezposrednim tekstem o niej do niej, ale odsluch sie troche dluzyl, bo jednak jest to godzina i szesc minut na 13 piosenkach, pomimo tego plycie nie mozna odmowic innowacyjnosci, bo o elektroniczny album popowy z tak pelnym wokalem, ktory jest jeszcze lepszy niz na like a prayer, a calkiem inny od tego ktory znam juz z mtviowej ery madonny z 2k10, jest on pelny a jednak lagodny brzmieniowo i jak kameleon dopasowuje sie on do elektronicznych beatow zaserwowanych przed producerke, ta sinusoida o ktorej mowilem wynika wlasnie z tego, ze praktycznie plyta podzielona jest pomiedzy trzech producentow, wiec kazdy odcisnal na nim pietno swojego stylu poczatek orbitowy, srodkowa czesc leonardowa i koncowka nowelsa, wlasnie dlatego piki plejkowe tez ida wedlug tej zasady po kawalku od kazdego, zaczynajac od poczatku popowa ballada o niezbyt popowym temacie, bo mordach i gwaltach, kolejny sky fits heaven napakowany kontentem joginskowym, bo chyba taka filozofie sobie ogarnela w tamtym czasie, ostatnim kawalkiem na plejke bedzie little star, czyli utwor o ktorym juz wspomnialem wczesniej, kolejny raz poznaje artyste na nowo przez spojrzenie z perspektywny innego albumu, a o ile nie jestem wielkim fanem elektroniki, tak takie jej polaczenie z spojnym kontentem lirycznym i wokalem topowym, jesli chodzi o muzyke popularna naprawde robi robote
ikonik olmuş fazlasıyla
Ya know not bad
My favorites: Drowned World / Substitute For Love Frozen Sky Fits Heaven The Power Of Good-Bye To Have And Not To Hold
This actually bangs in places. Makes me want to be in an early 2000s action film. Could have been trimmed down a bit, but otherwise loved it.
pop perfection. I'd heard the titular track before but didn't know its name. more vibey than I expected. nice guitars. I liked the spiritual interlude, reminded me of the Beatles going 2 India. favs: Swim, Skin, Nothing Really Matters, Shanti / Ashtang
flows really well, some songs better than others but good vibes
мать навалила клубнячка 😎 На самом деле ну Мадонна, хули. До примадонны, канеш, не дотягивает, но марку держит. Отличная фоновая музыка для поддержания приподнятого настроения (кроме первого и финального трека). Особо сказать нечего, песни пустые довольно, как по мне. Слушаются и слушаются. Привлекают внимание только различные экспериментальные вставки, в один момент как будто даже атональный хор каких-то волынок появился, что я вполне бы рассчитывал бы увидеть на альбоме позднего Аукцыона, а не главной поп-певицы девяностых. Драмы довольно часто прикольные сбивки дают, ну и всё такое. За поиск разнообразия вполне могу семёру въебать, жалко ко второй части альбома интересных элементов становится меньше. как-то так, хз
Album being delighted with thick bass with soft and gentle vocals.
A really good, nostalgic electro-pop album. Singles like Frozen immediately bring me back to my childhood.
Not bad pero prefiero alguno de los anteriores
Weaker 4, some of the songs were quite great, however I wouldn't mind if the was about 10 minutes shorter.
Saved Prior: None Off Rip: Drowned World/Substitute For Love, Swim, Ray of Light, Candy Perfume Girl, The Power of Good-Bye Cutting Edge: None Overall Notes: I really liked this album's vibes. 5 stars? No. But it was a very enjoyable listen despite nothing really happening. A clean 4.
Didn't expect this from Madonna
false
A stunning pop record with incredible diversity. Definitely electronic-based, but I’d argue brings a fair amount of alternative rock to the table as well. Unfortunately drags a bit in the second half. STANDOUTS: -Drowned World / Substitute for Love -Swim -Candy Perfume Girl -Skin -The Power of Good-Bye
Of the Madonna albums I've listened to, this is definitely my fave. Love that William Orbit production, and I'm a sucker for electronica with world music blended in. Fave track - it always used to be "Frozen", but this time around the title track really jumped out at me. It's quite a tune! Got me pretty energised!
A nice return to form.
Great pop with an ambient/trance twist
Hyvä levy, positiivinen levy ja näin. Vähän nuo intialaiset kikkailut välissä pisti harmittamaan, mutta kokonaisuutena positiivinen, hyvä levy. Madonnasta oli kuva ehkä hieman enemmän joko kasaridiscon tai myöhemmin hieman modernimman discomusan esittäjänä, mutta tämä oli aika rauhallisen miellyttävää musiikkia. Nelosen arvoista menoa!
Was awesome
On of her better albums.
Of course I know the title track, which was a fun, softer direction for her, but the rest of this was a bit too trance electronica for me.
Si crea una bella atmosfera e sono certo che abbia portato nel mainstream molta sperimentazione. Ci sono canzoni alte ma molte si perdono. Un album da ascoltare per intero piuttosto che per singoli.
If I closed my eyes I saw a club from a movie where there is a strobe light, glow sticks, confetti and a lot of sweaty people. Not my ideal music but I do find myself swaying along.
Some really good and some not so good
Inte riktigt det ljud jag förknippar med Madonna, men det funkade.
a surprisingly good electronica album - Madonna re-inventing herself, yet again, and putting electronica in front of the great record-buying public
I was surprised by how many songs I already recognized, despite never having owned this album. Listening to the album now reminded me how willing Madonna was to embrace different musical styles while still making great pop music. My favorite track was The Power of Good-Bye, especially for its beautiful dark atmosphere and drum and bass-inspired rhythms.
Ray of light does give a different vibe than her most popular song Vogue ( fav song from her ) and I can see the inspirations she took into the production of this album. Omg frozen was that one trending song remixed from like idk some years ago???
Well I am not really familiar with Madonna's music outside of her main hits, but I am surprised this album is included. When looking at the biggest songs she has had there is not really much on this one, which makes me belliever there could have been better choices for her in this list. Still not a bad album, so an average rating for this one. 3/5
While Ray of Light is a much heralded record, I find it to be a frustratingly good experience. Everything about this album oozes William Orbit, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but this is a Madonna release. Unfortunately she's just a singing head bouncing along to a finely crafted Orbit soundtrack. At the end of the day this feels like the first time Madonna relied on the talent of someone else instead of pushing the trend herself. Call me picky, but it dilutes the overall quality of her brand 🤷♂️
Better than I was expecting, I like Madonna but thought she had lost it by this point in her career. Great production
The gag with Peter dancing is still the funniest shit. 3/5
Too many clouds
The production is really cool and of it's time/what would come a couple years after but feel the song writing and Madonnas performances leave a bit to be desired.
a mixed bag, one i should probably listen to again at some point
A great album for people whose idea of “self-care” is smoking weed and abandoning their friends.
Its not horrible, but she has managed to try something different and still turn it into pop
5/10
Enjoyable
For a pop record there's some interesting choices instrumentally. You wont hear many pop stars over downtempo trip hop beats, but Madonna does a good enough job over them to make for a decent experience. A pretty neat electronic sound throughout. I definitely didn't need an hour of this, but its not bad.
Madonna and trance? What a combo. A bit long and a bit over drawn. But good overall
Madonna throws her hat in the trip hop ring along with the greats like Bjork and PJ Harvey. Overall it was quite good. Might come back to this, might not.
The first half is a fun album with more pop sensibilities but the second half goes into more electronic and world vibe. It’s not bad but it’s long.
Madonna jumping on the bandwagon giving it a super sheen pop polish
Not necessarily iconic, but this enjoyable listen has some standouts
Sky Fits Heaven sounds like a song ending up mid-table at Eurovision in the 90s. Not sure that's a good thing.
I really wanted to like this more. 3/5
Not her best, but not terrible
I don't think I'm a fan of this 90s Madonna sound. I think other people do it better.
Would be a surprising 4 for me if the songs were shorter and a few cut from the album. Drops to a 3 for those reasons. I hope I never hear Shanti / Ashtangi again as long as I live. Truly terrible song.
7/10 - brings 8yr old me childhood memories back, not because I was a massive fan but because frozen was always on TV... Do have to give it to Madonna, this does have some pretty memorable songs
I liked this more than I expected, I guess the lack of horrible 80's synths and beats, but not quite into the 2000s edgy Electronica made the music tolerable, and her voice is definitely nice. 3/5
Pretty good, runs a little too long
This is such a strange record. It tries to be many things, blending styles from EDM and pop, but often fails to stick the landing. It just isn't cohesive and honestly, Madonnas singing isn't a good addition to the record. It's just a strange blend between pop-y style vocals and kinda trippy instrumentals. What's worse is that while the instrumentals are all over the place, the vocals are just mostly the same in every track. Blending genres can be done well, as is seen in Janelle Moneé's Archandroid, but this record just shows how hard it can be. At least Madonna tried something new, something which can't be said about many of the records on this list. 6/10
it is VERY 90s, I cannot say I find it particularly memorable. I can imagine how it was adventurous and new for Madonna, but in the grander scheme I don't find it particularly special. Overall a nice album and great background music, but it has trouble actually grabbing me.
Madomma
linda musica ray of light
It has one really good song, ray of light. The rest are good, but not memorable. I don’t really understand what makes this particular Madonna album one of the most influential of all time?
Not my favorite music but the album was ok
Wasn't the Madonna album I was expecting. Honestly decent as background music. Sounds like it would be playing over the speakers at UTC. 3
Ah so this is Madonna? - not to shaby
Decent album. Some nice hits.
Better than I expected for a Madonna album. Quite honestly, the worst thing about this album was probably Madonna's vocals themselves, not bad, but not the standout part of the album that you might expect. Quite a few different styles in an electronica meets pop genre. It almost reached four stars, but it didn't quite make it, so three it is.
I wasn't excited when I saw this but I liked it a lot more than I expected. She can still bring it to an extent, an entertainer for sure. Not my cup of tea but not bad.
Not entirely sure this is the record where Madge shifted to adult contemporary of if that sensibility had been creeping in as early as Live to Tell and I just overlooked it. Whatever the case, largely thanks to Orbit’s unifying production, this is possibly the most cohesive Madonna LP from start to finish. It has the occasional zags into spiritualism, which felt skin deep phoney at the time and play now more as a harbinger of her wackadoodle trajectory, but Ray of Light is largely consumed with being a mother and an adult, less the bedroom and dance floor. Judging by her subsequent releases, she viewed this as an aberration or even a mistake, which is too bad. The history of the title track is a fun one for understanding how pop music got and gets made, going from an unknown singer’s stab at the mid-90s zeitgeist through a possibly zeitgeist-defining song once Orbit and Madonna had their way with it.
shanti is a banger
Classic Madonna cultural appropriation. Love. It. Holy fuck I forgot about Frozen. What a gem.
Ok - just a little run of the mill pop - pleasant, but nothing special - last track a bit more interesting - perhaps worth another listen
not for me
Fav- drowned world/ substitute for love 2.5/5
Muy bueno, no me esperaba para nada esto Me encantaron los beats y sintetizadores, en algunos momentos se sintió muy noventero pero en otros muy futurístico No conocía esta faceta de Madonna, la banco No me parece un tremendo álbum con temazos, pero es un buen disco para escuchar chill
Not bad. A bit long in the tooth and I'm eye-rolling at the Kabbalah track but she pulls off the somber, pensive stuff pretty damn well. The title track was unavoidable at the time.
I didn’t listen. Sue me.
great sound
I enjoyed this more than I expected to, so props to Madonna for surprising me.
Enjoyed it. Liked the blend of pop and electro stuff. However, slightly too long for me and a lot of similar stuff.
5/10
This is such a good album. She stuck with what she knows and evolved into slightly new musical experimentation.
Cool! Airey, poppy, clubby. Couple boring songs but overall better than I was expecting. Not sure what I was expecting with Madonna but this was better. 3.5/5
Overwrought, drippy vocal performances mostly made up for by some absolutely banging techno beats
Écouté en deux fois assez distraitement, globalement cool sans être transcendant, surtout Frozen que je connaissais sans la connaître
This album sounds more like Massive Attack than it does Madonna's 80s albums. While it's full of interesting sounds and songs, I can't decide if it's aged well or not. On one hand, it still sounds immaculate. On the other hand, it sounds very 90s. That's not a bad thing necessarily - the writing elevates this over similar music - but I suspect this once sounded futuristic at the time and it does not anymore. The energetic songs here are great, especially the title track and "Skin." I also really like "The Power of Good Bye." But too many of the slower songs blur together. With some trimming - "Shanti" has definitely not aged well and several other songs could be cut - and maybe a bit more variety this could be a 4, but there are too many songs that just don't really move me.
It was alright. Nothing much stood out to me, maybe because it's a style I'm not too knowledgeable about, but overall, the average song was enjoyable.
Her seventh album. Pop / Dance. Good production and an ethereal tone throughout. This is a long way from the bubble gum Pop Madonna of the 80s. A solid album without blowing me away.
Egész hallgatható, de azért nem az én világom.
I am now the age Madonna was when she made this, and that feels kinda wild. I still remember when the "Ray Of Light" and "Frozen" music videos were crushing on TRL, but it feels like a lifetime ago. Based on "Ray Of Light", I went into this expecting a very upbeat and dancey record and was surprised by how much it isn't really that. It's much more ambient and downtempo than I would have guessed so, in hindsight, "Frozen" was probably the more accurate indicator of what this album would be like. Whoops. This list has given me a sampling of where electronic music was in the 90s, but prior to that I might not have considered how much this really was a crossover record in 1998. I know she wasn't the first woman to sing over electronic music (by 1998 we had Massive Attack, Portishead, and plenty others) but this wasn't a new act trying to break-through, it was Madonna - the icon - testing the fences from the inside. They didn't hold. I love that the album whose title evokes images of sunshine ends with: "I ran to the forest, I ran to the trees I ran and I ran, I was looking for me I ran to the lakes, and up to the hill I ran and I ran, I'm looking there still And I smelled her burning flesh Her rotting bones Her decay I ran and I ran I'm still running away"
This is a brilliant album. A second phase for Madonna with William Orbit on production duties. I felt this transported Madonna into a more contemporary music world.
Good singles, lots of filler.
was actually surprised that this was quite good
Thought it’d be unlistenable but it was pretty decent only skipped a couple songs. Who knew.
ну мадонна чего я там не слышал есть хит или два на альбома, но он фоновый шлейф радио в машине лютый переслушал дважды и не зацепило 3.2
Mid-stage Madonna
Never Heard any song from this Madonna album, but it was Nice, not The best tho
Title track saved an otherwise boring album.
This album is at it's best when it's at it's most trip-hop, such as on Swim and Nothing Really Matters (Basically, when the album has a decent pulse). A lot of this is though is pretty boring, repetitive EDM that, while solid, isn't doing much for me. Especially on tracks like The Power of Good-Bye. And then you have a few stinkers like Shanti-Ashtangi that just sound corny coming from Madonna. But I can definitely hear the influence this album has, particularly on artists like Utada Hikaru, although Utada, in my opinion, did it better. Definitely has bangers on her albums whereas there's nothing particularly standing out as a heavy hitting, catchy song on Ray of Light. Album could have used some paring down as well. At over an hour long, it overstays it's welcome, especially with the repetitive music.
Production is great, if the album was 15-20 minutes shorter it really would have helped overall with my score. The back half of the album wasn’t as solid and dragged.
Apart from Ray of Light I'm not sure I'd have recognised this as Madonna - that said I enjoyed a lot more than expected
This album is a little too obvious in its efforts to capture the zeitgeist of the late nineties, but mostly this is a highly diverse and well-performed album, spanning everything from trip-hop, to pop, to even some hard-rock riffing. Also, Madonna's voice sounds fantastic here. Unfortunately, there are a string of very poor, slow-moving, hackneyed, melodramatic songs tacked on at the end (the final five tracks starting with Frozen). Not coincidently, the album is just about the combined length of these songs too long. Without them you have a snappy, 8 song, 40 minute album that easily gets five stars. Still, the overall experience was enjoyable. 3.0/5.0: Good
I've never found her great but Frozen is a good pop song. Interesting sound. I don't think this is great but I can tell this felt at least somewhat personal. Weak three strong two.
Madonna c'est cool mais j'ai trouvé cet album un peu lent et répétitif
Madonna's superpower is her ability to see what direction music is going and then she manages to go there and then do that music better than everyone else. She is a trend hopper and I do not mean that as an insult. On Ray of Light, she saw the direction electronic music was going and decided that she could to that music too. Ray of Light is not a short album. Clocking in at 13 songs over 66 minutes, it isn't something a person would necessarily sit down and listen to casually. The last two songs, specifically Mer Girl, are just a drag and go on too long. I do not understand how Ray of Light doesn't have the most plays of the songs on this album. It was all over the radio and the music video could not be avoided. I think this book underrepresents Madonna in some ways. She had some really influential albums earlier in her career but Music is in this book, yet only one album that represents her early work is in here. Ray of Light would be the last album I would include from Madonna and I would include another earlier one. This is a good album, even if I think it could be trimmed by a few songs. Not my cup of tea but I appreciate the music. My favorite songs: Drowned/Substitute for Love Swim Ray of Light Sky Fits Heaven Frozen Power of Goodbye
Muito bom o álbum inteiro! Dentre as músicas novas pra mim, achei a última a mais inesperada, muito chique!