Madonna - Nothing Really Matters (Remixes) (2023)

Madonna's fourth and final single from Ray of Light, "Nothing Really Matters" holds the distinction of being her lowest-charting single on the U.S. Hot 100, largely due to the terrible timing of the single's release, which was much after radio and club airplay had peaked. The domestic single packed nine versions, including the somewhat tepid original album version, an amazing 11-minute chill-out transformation by Kruder & Dorfmeister (complete with a climax reminiscent of a James Bond theme), and several club anthem mixes from Club 69 (including a convenient single edit of the "Club 69" mix). Also of interest is the slow-burning "Vikram Remix," which pits the song against Eastern instruments and rhythms, to compelling results. This single is a case of where the production supersedes the song, which in and of itself is among Madonna's simplest and least interesting tunes. The bevy of remixes, however, completely transform the song, and make for an interesting single which, clocking in at nearly 68 minutes, is considerably longer than the average full-length album.

Review by Jose F. Promis