Madonna - Ray Of Light - Music & Performance - CD

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."

Returning to pop after a four-year hiatus, Madonna enlisted respected techno producer William Orbit as her collaborator for Ray of Light, a self-conscious effort to stay abreast of contemporary trends. Unlike other veteran artists who attempted to come to terms with electronica, Madonna was always a dance artist, so it's no real shock to hear her sing over breakbeats, pulsating electronics, and blunted trip-hop beats. Still, it's mildly surprising that it works as well as it does, largely due to Madonna and Orbit's subtle attack. They've reigned in the beats, tamed electronica's eccentricities, and retained her flair for pop melodies, creating the first mainstream pop album that successfully embraces techno. Sonically, it's the most adventurous record she has made, but it's far from inaccessible, since the textures are alluring and the songs have a strong melodic foundation, whether it's the swirling title track, the meditative opener, "Substitute for Love," or the ballad "Frozen." For all of its attributes, there's a certain distance to Ray of Light, born of the carefully constructed productions and Madonna's newly mannered, technically precise singing. It all results in her most mature and restrained album, which is an easy achievement to admire, yet not necessarily an easy one to love. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Performer	Madonna
Music genre	Electronica
Music subgenre	Pop
Music release type	Album
Media format	CD
Original release date	1998-03-03
Language	English
Number of tracks	13
Has parental advisory label	N
Number of discs	1
Track listing	Drowned World/Substitute for Love, Swim, Ray of Light, Candy Perfume Girl, Skin, Nothing Really Matters, Sky Fits Heaven, Shanti/Ashtangi, Frozen, The Power of Good-Bye, To Have and Not to Hold, Little Star, Mer Girl
Record label	Warner Bros Uk
Target audience	Adult
Composer	Madonna
Songwriter	Madonna
Music producer	William Orbit
Number in series	1
Occasion	All Occasion
Track name	Frozen
Duration	67 min
Digital audio file format	CD
Music media format	CD
Is edited	N
Is enhanced	N