Madonna comes back with a new album that feels genuinely fresh

Madonna—”CONFESSIONS II”

There's an interesting trend (?) where artists are revisiting their older music and reworking it into new albums. Nicki Minaj did it with “Pink Friday,” Lady Gaga tapped back into the energy of her early work with “Mayhem” and Katy Perry has been trying to recapture the magic of her earlier eras as well. The formula seems simple: return to what worked before. But can lightning really strike twice?

The cool thing about Madonna is that she's literally Madonna. She's a pop pioneer whose influence is impossible to overstate. She helped redefine what a pop star could be and opened doors that countless artists have walked through since. You could even argue that the dance floor belongs to her. Few artists have shaped dance-pop as profoundly or as consistently as she has, but it's still a risky move to revisit an album as iconic as “Confessions on a Dance Floor” and effectively label the new project its successor. Fortunately, it works in her favor.

“Confessions II” is bright, energetic and ultimately finds its way home. It actually works as a real Part II—not a retread of nostalgia. A common issue for many artists is failing to recognize what actually made their original breakthrough resonate. Madonna recognizes it instinctively, and that awareness becomes her greatest strength.

Coming off the Sabrina Carpenter collaboration, “Danceteria” transitions effortlessly into what might be the coolest, slickest track we’ve heard all year. “Everyone here is a work of art,” Madonna sings. The melody feels like that high point in a club, when the beat drops and you know everyone in the room is fully in it together. “School” finds her asking someone to teach her something she doesn’t already know. That slow, robot-like vocal delivery adds a playful touch to the track. Many of these tracks come across like gospel-infused reflections and pieces of advice.

“L.E.S. Girl” serves as the album’s settling point, perfectly suited for when the night comes to an end. And what a night it’s been.

Sienna Spiro—”Great Expectation”

The deluxe version of her album “Visitor” was released today by the singer. She might be best known for her song “Die on This Hill.”

“Great Expectations” continues with the same strong vocal delivery associated with Spiro. The track finds the artist wondering whether happiness is real or just an idea. “If you can't be what I want/And the things you say are true/All I need is the great expectation of you,” she sings. The backing vocals elevate the track significantly.

Wolf Alice—”Gospel Oak”

A B-side single from the band’s 2025 album “The Clearing” has been released. This is an album that holds a lot of appeal for us.

What’s intriguing about Wolf Alice is that they can hit huge highs with heavy drums, but some of their best moments come when they slow things down and lean into piano-led arrangements. “Play It Out” is a great example here.

“Gospel Oak” is a wildly sad song, about longing for a muse who remains out of reach and unable to notice them. “Can you hear me? I'm calling your name/But the wheels keep on turning/You don't see me waving,” sings lead vocalist Ellie Rowsell.

It’s a strong weekend pick, especially if you’re in a low mood.

Gayle—”Junebug”

The Grammy-nominated “abcdefu” singer has been somewhat MIA for a while. Maybe she was still coming off the high of opening for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour.

The song is certainly better than the aforementioned track, but it builds up only to end rather stagnantly. That said, Gayle still sounds really good here. It’s fun enough, sure.

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—Dawson Therre

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