"Ray of Light"

I've had a little trouble with Madonna. No, nothing for her to be ashamed or worried about. I have to make a conscious effort to divorce myself from everything else that comes associated with her music: she's been so well-packaged that it's nearly impossible to listen to her music without a host of images and stories crowding the moment. Happily, much of what I listen to is uncomplicated by spin and filters, but this pleasure is coming under threat from what we shall call the New Business of Music - that multimedia assault on our senses from artists who have worked out they stand a greater chance of achieving lasting fame and fortune if they give us more ways to consume them. At least, I can't find any other way to explain J-Lo.
Luckily, there is some talent at work where Madonna is concerned, if only the ability to pick better songwriters than the rest. This is relentless hardcore dance music, but hardcore only in the sense that it really drags you in. This isn't a song that needs serious bass or a pounding beat that will sterilise small animals, it's just busy, bustling, whirling and so much fun. An innocent pleasure, a moment of harmless abandon.