Ray of Light

*Ray of Light* was both a comeback for Madonna and a sign of dance music’s impending claim to the pop throne. Her voice is impeccable throughout, but it\'s the album\'s slinky, rich dance-floor atmospherics that really set things in a new direction, with producer William Orbit giving the trip-hoppy “Frozen” a lush, dramatic feel and the title track its giddy euphoria. There\'s also a prevalent hypnotic and spiritual vibe—owing to Madonna\'s turn to Kabbalah—that helps make it one of the superstar\'s most exciting albums in years.