Madonna’s 1998 album ‘Ray of Light’, her collaboration with producer William Orbit, is one of her most iconic reinventions. The album arrived as the follow-up to 1994’s ‘Bedtime Stories’ and 1992’s controversial ‘Erotica’, both of which marked a commercial downturn for the star. Due to the success of its singles – ‘Frozen’, ‘Ray of Light’, ‘Drowned World / Substitute for Love’ and ‘Nothing Really Matters’ – the album sold more than 16 million copies worldwide and re-established Madonna as the biggest force in pop music. At the time of the album, Madonna teased fans with a companion remix album, named after her alter-ego at the time ‘Veronica Electronica’, but the release was shelved. Now Madonna fans are finally getting their hands on it as the Queen of Pop has finally released it.
‘Veronica Electronica’ is essentially an EP with 7 rare or previously unheard remixes of tracks from ‘Ray of Light’, along with the demo version of ‘Gone Gone Gone’, a song that was recorded during the sessions for the record. It’s been interesting reading some of the critical reaction to the EP’s release, as it’s clear some of the critics don’t really understand the story behind it. I’ve seen plenty of reviews that accuse the EP of sounding date and claim Madonna is exploiting fans by putting out any material she can find. These kinds of claims are meritless as fans have been clamouring for ‘Veronica Electronica’ for the past 27 years, so Madonna is only giving us what we’ve been asking for.
For its initial release ‘Veronica Electronica’ has been made available as a limited-edition silver vinyl and on streaming and digital services. A CD and additional vinyl release is coming in October but Madonna’s core fans will be picking up the limited-edition release I’d imagine. The vinyl is a nice package with the artwork featuring a photograph from Madonna’s ‘Ray of Light’ sessions with Inez and Vinoodh from January 1998. The shiny sleeve is eye-catching and the inner sleeve features another photo from the same shoot.
But what about the music, I hear you ask? The 7 remixes on the EP are sequenced in the same order that they appear on the original ‘Ray of Light’ album, which is a nice touch. The EP opens with ‘Drowned World / Substitute for Love (BT & Sasha Bucklodge Ashram New Edit)’, which reimagines the fragile original as a euphoric dance floor banger. Honestly, it doesn’t sound like it would work on paper but it does, and it elevates the original. The Sasha Twilo Mix Edit of ‘Ray of Light’ follows and it strips away the pop production of the original, replacing it with shimmering electro-beats. The original song has never been one of my favourites so I actually prefer this take on it.
‘Skin (The Collaboration Remix Edit)’, one of the tracks released ahead of the EP’s arrival, retains the ethereal quality of the original song but gives it a much harder beat. If you heard this at full volume in a club, you’d rush to the dancefloor to let loose. The Club 69 Speed Mix Meets the Dub version of ‘Nothing Really Matters’ borders on trance territory while the Victor Calderone Future New Edit of ‘Sky Fits Heaven’ is an adrenaline-rush that takes you straight to euphoria. The Widescreen Mix and Drums version of ‘Frozen’ really accentuates the song’s Middle Eastern influence and it’s even more atmospheric than the album version. This song never gets old and I love this version.
The last of the remixes is ‘The Power of Good-Bye (Fabien’s Good God Mix Edit)’, which gives the track a drum’n’bass remake. It sounds completely different but like the other remixes here, it works well. It’s always interesting to hear a different take on a song you know well, and this version is a balls-to-the-wall groove rather than the soaring love song style of the original. The final track on ‘Veronica Electronica’ is ‘Gone Gone Gone’, the demo that fans will be looking forward to the most. It’s clear why the song didn’t make the cut for ‘Ray of Light’. The sound leans more into drum’n’bass and it would have been jarring next to the electronic style of the album. That being said, it’s nice to finally have an official demo version release, and Madonna sounds great on the track.
‘Veronica Electronica’ isn’t an album that’s going to win over critics. This is a gift for fans of Madonna who have waited nearly 30 years to hear these songs. ‘Ray of Light’ remains one of Madonna’s finest albums and this remix EP is a timely reminder of what a force she’s always been in music. With a new album on the way (rumoured to be ‘Confessions of a Dance Floor’ Part 2), Madonna is keeping herself in the spotlight and the conversation, and the world will eagerly wait to see what she comes up with next.
Track list: Side A – 1. Drowned World / Substitute for Love (BT & Sasha Bucklodge Ashram New Edit) 2. Ray of Light (Sasha Twilo Mix Edit) 3. Skin (The Collaboration Remix Edit) 4. Nothing Really Matters (Club 69 Speed Mix Meets the Dub) Side B – 1. Sky Fits Heaven (Victor Calderone Future New Edit) 6. Frozen (Widescreen Mix and Drums) 7. The Power of Good-Bye (Fabien’s Good God Mix Edit) 8. Gone Gone Gone (Original Demo Version) Record label: Warner Records Release date: 25th July 2025 Buy ‘Veronica Electronica’ now
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