You Look Familiar

Above: a long-forgotten era wherein Madonna won the kind of praise she had never enjoyed before (or since). The album Ray of Light was almost like an eclipse - all we noticed was connected to the music.

A diva I have sidelined for a few years, Madonna, has recently leaked her much-anticipated new single Celebration via youtube and various filesharing networks. Its divisive allure lies in its succinct dancefloor simplicity - it is clearly vulnerable to inevitable criticism, unable to match the bleeding and joyous emancipation of Like A Prayer, but is a Chicane-meets-PWL incision that is far more inviting than the dramatic Confessions era. There is no confrontation (not to mention, you have guessed it, hesitation either) - she is dancing in her bedroom again, or in her shoe closet, whatever. Madonna is on relaxed form, clearly relishing her pedastal and making me laugh for the first time in about 10 years: her little judicious monologue makes me warm to her in a way I had given up hope for; 'I guess I just don't recognise you with your clothes on' is the 'creamy smooth pop icon goddess' she projected in the early 90s. All that is missing here is one big 'C-MON!' which would probably have made me faint. Her stern media portrayal is proved so irrelevant, as if suddenly kicking herself into gear.

Above: Two old broads of whom I think could team up well together on screen - if Madonna can show more humour and send herself up easier, then she could re-capture everything she thinks she is holding onto with daily 2 hour gym sessions.

I personally foam with excitement for this formidable currency of wave-crashing trance; it is enchanting as it is sharp, and the lazy glamour of her vocal is perfect for the dancefloor as the overall tornado of these elements is so blurred-sounding, and so usurping that you won't know where you are or care. Perhaps given the task of writing lyrics on top of Oakenfold's track simply relaxed her. Whilst it is not as cloud-skimmingly angelic as the Above & Beyond remix of What It Feels Like For A Girl, it is more forceful, take-it-or-leave-it and discriminating.

Above: Madge posing happily with pal Justin Timberlake, a singer young enough to be her boyfriend.

The almost-sad (yet awesome) vanity of her Hung Up song and video feels completely uncessecary for this one, so I hope she doesn't put too much pressure on herself to pull out all the stops leotard-wise. I also hope she does not tour untilher next studio creation.