Ray of Light

Ray of Light

Artist: Madonna
Released: 1998
Songs: 13
Genre: Techno

	01. Drowned World (Substitute for Love)		DOWNLOAD MP3
	02. Swim		DOWNLOAD MP3
	03. Ray of Light		DOWNLOAD MP3
	04. Candy Perfume Girl		DOWNLOAD MP3
	05. Skin		DOWNLOAD MP3
	06. Nothing Really Matters		DOWNLOAD MP3
	07. Sky Fits Heaven		DOWNLOAD MP3
	08. Shanti (Ashtangi)		DOWNLOAD MP3
	09. Frozen		DOWNLOAD MP3
	10. The Power of Good-Bye		DOWNLOAD MP3
	11. To Have and Not to Hold		DOWNLOAD MP3
	12. Little Star		DOWNLOAD MP3
	13. Mer Girl		DOWNLOAD MP3

The seventh studio album by pop singer Madonna released in March, 1998 by Warner Bros. was titled Ray of Light. Madonna, William Orbit, Patric Leonard and Marius De Vries became its producers and Madonna as usual included her extraordinary lyrics in album songs. Authors used different genres (electronica, alternative, techno, ambient, dance) to attract as much public attention as possible.

Originally the album was titled The Drowned World inspired by J.G.Ballard’s novel and primary it was produced by Madonna, William Orbit and Patrick Leonard. With Leonard Madonna used to work at her previous albums and their collaboration was very favourable. Ray of Light was recorded in Los Angeles, California in 1997 and the period of album recording became the longest of all Madonna’s albums as there were some machinery problems and Orbit wanted to work with recorded tracks but not with live musicians. Many of Madonna’s tracks were recorded from the first attempt. Marius De Vries decorated the work then the album was almost over, it was he who added some important features in already finished songs. Ray of Light is characterized by a new musical direction for Madonna. Besides, she included in it her inmost lyrics of motherhood, inner world and popularity.

The lead single from the Ray of Light album was released in February, 1998 and titled Frozen. This song became Madonna’s eighth single peaked number one on the UK Singles Chart, it peaked number two on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song charted in many countries. Its sound was unusual, its lyrics were deep and it had shown radically changed Madonna.

Ray of Light was the second single from the album. The title track was based on the track Sepheryn by Clive Maldon and Dave Curtis. It combines high-energy techno and electric guitar sounds. The song was successful in the US and the United Kingdom, having become a super hit and the top Hot Dance Club Play single of 1998. Ray of Light won a Grammy Award, 1999 for “Best Short Form Music Video”. It also was nominated for “Record of the Year”, but Celine Dion’s My Heart Will Go On took the lead over it.

Madonna got mostly positive critics for her album Ray of Light. Slant Magazine wrote that this album was “one of the great pop masterpieces of 90’s”. Madonna’s vocal was impressive. She learned to be both weak and strong at the same time and her songs evoked deep emotions. Besides Madonna’s voice lessons for the role in the film Evita (1996) caused essential progress in her sound. Roni Saring, reviewer of Amazon.com, characterized Ray of Light as Madonna’s “richest, most accomplished record yet”. American entertainment television channel E! described Madonna’s work as “a good pop record, more power to her” and about William Orbit’s producing the channel narrated as “dashed of Middle Eastern droning”.

There were sold about 15 million copies of Madonna’s album Ray of Light worldwide. The album was extremely popular in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Switzerland and many other countries, where it became multi-platinum and peaked in different charts for a long lime. Ray of Light won in Grammy Awards, 1999 in three nominations: “Best Pop Album”, “Best Dance Recording” and “Best Recording Package”. The album was also nominated for “Record and Album of the Year”. Rolling Stone ranked the album at #363 of its list of “The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.

Madonna performed main singles from Ray of Light album (Drowned World, Ray of Light, Candy Perfume Girl, Frozen and others) on her Drowned World Tour, 2001.