Review by Markus Hamence – Sunday 27 July 2025
Madonna’s Time Machine: Veronica Electronica Finally Arrives
There’s something deeply satisfying about long-lost dreams finally coming true – especially when those dreams come from the Queen of Reinvention herself. Enter Veronica Electronica, the long-shelved remix album Madonna originally planned to release in 1998 as a companion to her game-changing Ray of Light. Fast forward to July 25, 2025, and this mythical project has at last been dusted off, polished up, and delivered into our eager ears. And I am keen.
Not just a remix album; it’s a time capsule of peak Madonna. A reminder of that turn-of-the-millennium moment when she traded cone bras and rosaries for yoga mats and club beats. Veronica Electronica is her sonic scrapbook, full of pulsing rhythms, mystic vocals, and kaleidoscopic textures – and finally, it’s ready for public consumption.
Who is Veronica Electronica?
The album’s name harks back to an alter ego Madonna conceived during the Ray of Light era – a digital priestess of sorts, part mystic, part DJ. Veronica Electronica was the imaginary figure behind Madonna’s deep dive into Kabbalah, techno clubs, motherhood, and millennium angst.
Originally, the album was meant to be a limited-run remix collection for fans of Ray of Light’s shimmering electronica. But when that parent album exploded commercially and critically, Warner shelved Veronica to focus on the next big thing. And like all good lost artifacts, the whispers grew louder over the decades.
The Tracklist – A Sonic Séance
So what’s inside this glittering archive? Veronica Electronica is a tight eight-track set that fuses well-known club remixes with newly polished versions and a couple of surprises that even diehard fans hadn’t heard.
New & Notable:
- ‘Gone Gone Gone’ (Demo) – A haunting, skeletal track Madonna recorded with Rick Nowels. It’s not quite finished, but that’s part of its charm. Her voice is raw, the production moody, the lyrics reflective. Like a ghost from a diary she never meant to publish.
- ‘Frozen’ (Widescreen Mix and Drums) – Newly edited for this release, this version isolates the percussive layers, giving Frozen a tribal, cinematic energy.
Remix Magic:
- ‘Drowned World/Substitute for Love’ (Sasha & BT Remix) – A masterclass in trance revision. The vocals are stretched like liquid light, and the ambient swells feel infinite.
- ‘Skin’ (Peter Rauhofer & Victor Calderone Remix) – Deep, dark, and absolutely feral. If Ray of Light was Madonna’s spiritual awakening, this remix is her midnight descent into the Berlin underground.
- ‘Nothing Really Matters’ (Club 69 Radio Mix) – This one’s a bit divisive. It’s perky and pop-forward but lacks the emotional depth of the original. It’s a glitter bomb – some will love it, others may skip.
The Critics Weigh In
This isn’t just a nostalgic victory lap. Critics have had a lot to say about Veronica Electronica, and reactions are… well, mixed, like the album itself.
- The Guardian gave it a 60/100, applauding the sonic innovation on tracks like Drowned World but lamenting a few remixes that feel dated or unnecessary. It praised Madonna’s instincts but wished for a bolder edit.
- The Times went full sparkle, calling it “a real treasure from her imperial phase” and awarding 4 stars. They emphasized the emotional vulnerability and forward-thinking production.
- The Irish Times saw it as “a postcard from the edge of the rave era” – not a revolution, but a welcome blast from a well-remembered past.
- The Line of Best Fit called it “a joyful archive” and emphasized its celebratory tone rather than innovation. They rightly point out: this isn’t about pushing boundaries. It’s about remembering when Madonna did so effortlessly.
Soundtrack for the Soul… and the Club
There’s something deeply intimate about remix albums. They don’t just repackage hits – they reshape them, reveal new textures, and offer glimpses into alternate timelines. On Veronica Electronica, Madonna is more mystic than pop star. The songs stretch out like meditations, each beat a heartbeat in her spiritual evolution.
But make no mistake – this isn’t sleepy background music. The best cuts on this record absolutely throb. There’s enough BPM here to carry you through sunrise sets and solitary walks alike. It’s dancefloor therapy.
Final Thoughts – A Dream Worth Waiting For?
Veronica Electronica isn’t perfect. It’s not supposed to be. It’s a resurrected vision – a bit raw around the edges, yes, but radiant in its authenticity. It transports you back to a time when pop stars took creative risks, embraced the underground, and came back transformed.
If you’re looking for a revolutionary Madonna album, go spin Ray of Light or Confessions on a Dance Floor. But if you want a moody, clubby, glimmering slice of history – served with a splash of the spiritual – then Veronica Electronica might just be the ritual you didn’t know you needed.
So light a candle, cue the lasers, and press play. Veronica has finally arrived – and she brought her magic with her.
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