0093624684725. Pre-Owned: Good condition. CD. 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 Rovi