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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 reined 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 /TiVo
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Rod McKuen, Writer - David Collins, Writer - Anita Kerr, Writer - David Reitzas, Engineer - PAT MCCARTHY, Engineer - Steve Sidelnyk, Drum Programmer - WILLIAM ORBIT, Producer, Writer - Ted Jensen, Masterer - Madonna, Producer, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Mark Endert, Engineer - Matt Silva, Engineer - Jon Englesby, Engineer - Fergus Gerrand, Drums
© 1998 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1998 Warner Records Inc.
David Reitzas, Engineer - PAT MCCARTHY, Engineer - WILLIAM ORBIT, Producer, Writer - Ted Jensen, Masterer - Madonna, Producer, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Mark Endert, Engineer - Matt Silva, Engineer - Jon Englesby, Engineer - Pablo Cook, Flute - Fergus Gerrand, Drums
© 1998 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1998 Warner Records Inc.
Christine Leach, Writer - David Reitzas, Engineer - PAT MCCARTHY, Engineer - WILLIAM ORBIT, Producer, Writer - Ted Jensen, Masterer - Madonna, Producer, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Mark Endert, Engineer - Matt Silva, Engineer - CLIVE MALDOON, Writer - DAVE CURTISS, Writer - Jon Englesby, Engineer
© 1998 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1998 Warner Records Inc.
Suzie Katayama, Conductor - Susannah Melvoin, Writer - David Reitzas, Engineer - PAT MCCARTHY, Engineer - WILLIAM ORBIT, Producer, Writer - Ted Jensen, Masterer - Madonna, Producer, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Mark Endert, Engineer - Matt Silva, Engineer - Jon Englesby, Engineer
© 1998 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1998 Warner Records Inc.
Marius de Vries, Producer - David Reitzas, Engineer - PAT MCCARTHY, Engineer - WILLIAM ORBIT, Producer - Ted Jensen, Engineer - PATRICK LEONARD, Writer - Madonna, Producer, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Mark Endert, Engineer - Matt Silva, Engineer - Marc Moreau, Guitar - Jon Englesby, Engineer
© 1998 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1998 Warner Records Inc.
Marius de Vries, Producer - David Reitzas, Engineer - PAT MCCARTHY, Engineer - Steve Sidelnyk, Drum Programmer - WILLIAM ORBIT, Producer - Ted Jensen, Masterer - PATRICK LEONARD, Writer - Madonna, Producer, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Mark Endert, Engineer - Niki Harris, Backing Vocals - Matt Silva, Engineer - Donna De Lory, Backing Vocals - Jon Englesby, Engineer
© 1998 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1998 Warner Records Inc.
David Reitzas, Engineer - PAT MCCARTHY, Engineer - WILLIAM ORBIT, Producer - Ted Jensen, Masterer - PATRICK LEONARD, Producer, Writer - Madonna, Producer, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Mark Endert, Engineer - Matt Silva, Engineer - Jon Englesby, Engineer
© 1998 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1998 Warner Records Inc.
David Reitzas, Engineer - PAT MCCARTHY, Engineer - WILLIAM ORBIT, Producer, Writer - Ted Jensen, Masterer - Madonna, Producer, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Mark Endert, Engineer - Matt Silva, Engineer - Jon Englesby, Engineer
© 1998 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1998 Warner Records Inc.
Marius de Vries, Keyboards - David Reitzas, Engineer - PAT MCCARTHY, Engineer - WILLIAM ORBIT, Producer - Ted Jensen, Masterer - PATRICK LEONARD, Producer, Writer, Additional Arranger - Madonna, Producer, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Mark Endert, Engineer - Craig Armstrong, Strings Arranger - Matt Silva, Engineer - Jon Englesby, Engineer
© 1998 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1998 Warner Records Inc.
David Reitzas, Engineer - PAT MCCARTHY, Engineer - WILLIAM ORBIT, Producer - Ted Jensen, Masterer - PATRICK LEONARD, Producer - Madonna, Producer, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Mark Endert, Engineer - Craig Armstrong, Strings Arranger - Rick Nowels, Writer - Matt Silva, Engineer - Jon Englesby, Engineer
© 1998 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1998 Warner Records Inc.
David Reitzas, Engineer - PAT MCCARTHY, Engineer - WILLIAM ORBIT, Producer - Ted Jensen, Masterer - PATRICK LEONARD, Producer, Writer - Madonna, Producer, Vocals, MainArtist - Mark Endert, Engineer - Rick Nowels, Writer - Matt Silva, Engineer - Jon Englesby, Engineer
© 1998 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1998 Warner Records Inc.
Marius de Vries, Producer - David Reitzas, Engineer - PAT MCCARTHY, Engineer - Steve Sidelnyk, Drum Programmer - Ted Jensen, Masterer - Madonna, Producer, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Mark Endert, Engineer - Rick Nowels, Writer - Matt Silva, Engineer - Jon Englesby, Engineer
© 1998 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1998 Warner Records Inc.
David Reitzas, Engineer - PAT MCCARTHY, Engineer - WILLIAM ORBIT, Producer, Writer - Ted Jensen, Masterer - Madonna, Producer, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Mark Endert, Engineer - Matt Silva, Engineer - Jon Englesby, Engineer - Fergus Gerrand, Percussion
© 1998 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1998 Warner Records Inc.
Albumbeschreibung
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 reined 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 /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 13 track(s)
- Total length: 01:06:38
- Main artists: Madonna
- Label: Warner Records - Maverick
- Genre: Pop/Rock Pop
© 1998 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1998 Warner Records Inc.
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