Earth Mother
ST. JOHN’S , NL—For the umpteenth time: Ray of Light (1998) is my all-time favorite Madonna album:
She recorded it shortly after completing intensive vocal training for Evita and after giving birth to her first child. During that time, she was also exploring Kabbalah, East Indian spirituality, and yoga—albeit through their Hollywood interpretations. Nevertheless, these practices helped her maintain her sanity, and that clarity and sobriety are very evident in Ray of Light. As a result, many fans consider it her most beautiful work.
The follow-up to Ray of Light was intended to be a kind of sequel—Madonna planned to explore more electronica in a companion project titled Veronica Electronica. (Veronica is her Confirmation name, and “Veronica Electronica,” the temperate and serene earth mother, served as her alter ego during the recording of Ray of Light.) However, she eventually grew tired of electronica and moved on to other interests, leading to the project’s cancellation.
Fans like me were elated when it was announced last June that Veronica Electronica would finally be released as an official remix EP this July—although the unreleased remixes and many discarded tracks from the Ray of Light sessions have been circulating on the Internet for years.
That said, we would prefer Veronica Electronica as a proper album of rarities from the Ray of Light sessions (such as Like a Flower, Has to Be, and Revenge) rather than as a collection of remixes.
I, for one, dislike remixes. They are generally boring. The only good remixes are those by Jennifer Lopez from her 2002 album J to tha L–O! The Remixes. But let me remind you that it was Madonna who did invent the remix album in 1988:
Regardless, I ordered Veronica Electronica on June 5, but this is what I received on July 28—Disappointment #2:
Luckily, I’m home in the city at the moment, and copies of the album are available at the record shop. I couldn’t wait any longer, so I bought one:
Whatever peace Madonna found while recording Ray of Light is clearly reflected in her outward demeanor at the time, so I’m glad that photos from the Ray of Light photoshoots (and the iconic Ray of Light logo) were used for Veronica Electronica.
The remixes may not be particularly captivating, but I appreciate the packaging and artwork of Veronica Electronica:
