Released in 1998, Madonna’s ‘Ray of Light’ fused digital atmospheres, UK alt-pop and introspective songwriting to reframe her artistry all over again, leaving a legacy as one of the most transformative records in a career studded with them. Almost 30 years later, ‘Veronica Electronica’ is a long-rumoured remix album that seeks to repeat the feat.
Some remixes feel like direct extensions of the original LP’s sonic universe. BT and Sasha’s reworking of Drowned World/Substitute for Love transforms the original’s quiet introspection into a radiant rave anthem, while Frozen - Widescreen Mix and Drums stretches the trip-hop classic into a sparse, cinematic groove, evoking Grace Jones and Massive Attack.
Elsewhere, things get strange. Sasha’s Ray of Light remix is a chaotic techno burst, pushing the original’s eccentricity into full-blown absurdity, and Victor Calderone’s take on Sky Fits Heaven sounds like it belongs in a surreal theme park — it’s dated, but oddly charming.
The highlight is album closer Gone Gone Gone, a raw, shimmering demo that bridges emotional depth with airy sparkle and breakbeats. Its unfinished, slightly outmoded texture is quite a good counterpoint to remixes that have been polished up over the intervening decades.
‘Veronica Electronica’ doesn’t redefine Madonna’s legacy, then, but it does offer a playful, sometimes jarring, glimpse into her experimental peak. For fans, it’s a reminder of the wild, unpredictable brilliance that made ‘Ray of Light’ so enduring.
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