Madame X listening party – details!

So a few people were very lucky to be invited to listen to Madonna’s upcoming Madame X album, including Lucy O’Brien (author of ‘Madonna Like an Icon’). Here’s some of what she had to share:

• Just listened to the whole of #Madamex (with cakes) Can safely say the best is yet to come. Some fantastic dark dramatic work with Mirwais
• The highlights? Dark Ballet, I Don’t Search I Find
• She’s clever…saved the really personal stuff for the album release…
• There’s a beautiful, weird piano-led track, and a disco banger…hard to describe…strange world pop?
• She sings out on a few. She is comfortable. She’s in her own space
• I think stadiums aren’t quite right for this album…theatres will be perfect
• Least favourite? Hmmm…Looking for Mercy
• The disco track was my favourite!
• I am…I actually prefer this album to Rebel Heart…it feels more organic
• Yes, one disco track that takes us right back to that Detroit dance floor
• Is there something like Paradise (Not For Me)? – Yes, though updated to now…imagine a conversation between Madonna and Mirwais now
• Review? It’ll be in the next issue of Mojo mag x
• I personally think she’s better in one to one collaboration with a trusted producer (eg Orbit, Mirwais, Pat Leonard)
• It’s like she’s gone beyond the sales – ‘this is my life in Lisbon’…
• Couple of fillers, but they feel more like a vibe, rather than ‘we sat the production team in a room and they didn’t come up with anything’. More organic
• About ‘Killers’ – I can’t say too much, but it is a manifesto song…Madonna laying herself in the line
• Autotune…but less obviously. The more relaxed she is the less she needs it
• Are the Mirwais tracks simple or electronic – Imagine where he would be now. French house a big influence…and world pop
• Another ‘Hung Up’? – One or two…me and the writer from Attitude really like a couple that haven’t been singles yet!
• I actually think the best tracks have been held forthe album release, but that’s my personal preference!