Madonna - Veronica Electronica
Veronica Electronica — Madonna’s long-rumored remix album — finally surfaces like a whispered myth made manifest, offering a fresh and idiosyncratic lens on Ray of Light, a record that not only redefined her career but left an indelible mark on the pop landscape itself.
It’s almost disorienting to realize that Ray of Light was released over 27 years ago — a full generation removed — and yet it has never once sounded dated. If anything, time has only cemented its legacy, with its spiritual euphoria and sleek electronica continuing to inspire countless artists across genres. For years, devoted fans speculated about the existence of a so-called companion remix project, a secretive follow-up that would expand the universe Ray of Light built. That whispered project finally materialized in 2025 via Warner, under the name Veronica Electronica — its arrival delayed by decades, yet somehow impeccably timed.
At its core, Veronica Electronica is less a collection of remixes than a recontextualization — a sonic reframing of familiar material. The lone “new” track, “Gone Gone Gone”, recorded with Rick Nowels, has lingered in demo form on the internet for years like a ghost track waiting for proper recognition. Its official release here is a quiet revelation. Madonna’s voice hovers in near-celestial fashion over trance-tinged production, creating a sense of ascension that feels both intimate and euphoric. One can’t help but wonder why it didn’t make the original cut — its shimmering melancholia would have slotted seamlessly into Ray of Light’s emotional arc.
The remixes themselves vary in execution but are largely compressed into radio-length formats, which, while accessible, occasionally dulls their immersive potential. Still, there are standouts. The BT and Sasha rework of “Drowned World/Substitute for Love” is a triumph — replacing the chilly trip-hop of the original with lush, acid-house warmth that feels both nostalgic and revitalized. Meanwhile, the titular “Ray of Light” is reborn as something darker, almost ominous — think Doom-era boss battle music with its menacing, industrial pulse. “Skin”, once a tender slow-burn, is transformed into a feverish club hallucination — all sweat, strobe, and emotional disarray.
Not every reinterpretation lands. Club 69’s version of “Nothing Really Matters” begins promisingly but collapses into grating repetition by the halfway mark. “Sky Fits Heaven”, too, feels oddly weightless — a misfire that fades into the background after Veronica Electronica's otherwise strong opening. Part of the problem lies in the remixes’ occasional disregard for the source material — aside from Madonna’s vocal stems, there’s little connective tissue linking these versions to their original counterparts. Then again, that’s the eternal paradox of remix albums: few manage to rival the source from which they spring. Most are exercises in reinterpretation, not reinvention.
Still, Veronica Electronica succeeds on one crucial front: it doesn’t tarnish the legacy of Ray of Light. If anything, it serves as a reminder — a sonic footnote — of just how visionary the original album remains. For longtime fans, it answers a decades-old question with grace. For casual listeners, it’s an invitation to revisit one of the boldest artistic pivots in pop history. It may not reinvent the wheel, but at least it keeps it spinning with style.
6.3/10
