3.5 + I was taken in by the hype when this album first came out and appreciated its cohesiveness as an album. But in the last 25 years Madonna’s public persona makes me look back less fondly. To me this sounds like a late attempt to capitalize on European rave culture that had been roiling for well over a decade. She seemingly collaborated with some heavy hitters so the breakbeats and programmed rhythms sound correct for the time. But as an attempt to stay current, it feels exceptionally flat-footed. Bjork did a far better job distilling this zeitgeist on “Post”, for example. Lyrically, this record once again betrays a folksy wisdom that would appeal to any American mom who enjoys morning talk shows and supermarket gossip magazines. With copious Hindi incantations that create a general yogic atmosphere, Madonna was at least somewhat ahead of the curve when it came to culturally appropriating yoga. I’m sure “Ray of Light” is on heavy rotation at any Lululemon, where my aunt is right now purchasing a pair of yoga pants she maybe shouldn’t.