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The prima donna

Madonna's new album re-invents dance music for Gen-now

GROOVY MUSIC Madonna's new album is a hit

Come 2006, and pop diva Madonna will be three decades old in the music industry. In 1980, she joined a pop-dance band called the `Breakfast Club' as its drummer, only to graduate as its lead singer. Two years later, her debut solo single, `Everybody' becomes a dance-floor rage, and the quick follow up single, `Physical attraction' does equally well.

Feel-good music

But what critics call the real `Madonna' brand of feel-good energetic music, began with the popular party anthem, `Holiday,' which till today, is spun on the turntables by the world's best deejays. What followed was a whirlwind of hits like `Lucky Star' and the more daring tracks, `Like a virgin' and `Material girl,' from her second album. What followed was a period in Madonna's career that most prefer not to comment on. A scandalous lifestyle which pervaded into her music videos and lyrics, resulted in an anti-Madonna movement as a set of teenage Madonna wannabes sprung up across college campuses in the U.S. `Papa Don't Preach' and playboy covers later, she made a thundering comeback with the movie, `Evita' and the song, `Don't Cry for Me Argentina.'

A couple of years later, `Frozen' from the album, `Ray of Light' became a worldwide hit. By then, the in-your-face youngster had graduated into a spiritual, culturally-conscious vocalist, christened as the Diva. `American Pie' did make an impact in more recent years, but it is her new full-length dance album titled, `Confessions on a Dance Floor' (EMI; CD; Rs. 395) that aimsto re-invent feel-good dance music and package it to the likes of generation now.

Happy vibes

One listening to the non-stop album and you will realise that Madonna has impeccably maintained a very happy, elevating vibe all through the album, a feat which not many singers in their 40s can ever dream of. The first single, `Hung up' has an unusual rhythm which makes you sit up and take note. Tracks like `Got to be there'and `Future lovers' create an ambience of electronic music, but it is `Jump' which stands out with its high energy level. Other tracks in the album reveal the inner manifestations of the diva.

A.VISHNU

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