Critic's Review
Jose F. Promis, All Music Guide
With the release of the electric "Justify My Love," Madonna (or her record label) had perfected the art of the CD maxi-single, issuing a record with four distinct mixes, each different from the other and sometimes seeming to be completely different songs. The "Orbit 12" Mix (mixed by William Orbit) is a groovier version than the original (which is the first mix on this disc), and brings Lenny Kravitz's background vocals to the forefront. The hip-hop mix (track three) utilizes horns and has additional explicit lyrics and vocals, almost making one feel as if one is winding down in a New York after-hours hip-hop club at 4 a.m. The fifth mix ("The Beast Within Mix") is completely different from the others, almost sounding like a totally different song (which could have been titled "The Beast Within"). Complete with Eastern influences (which would later resurface on the song "Erotica") and totally different lyrics, this mix brings a much more sinister edge to an already dark, seductive song. To round out the single is an additional nine-plus-minutes mix of her 1989 hit "Express Yourself." This disc, along with its excellent artwork, stands as one of the best of Madonna's long history of well-packaged maxi-singles, and further helped set a precedent for the maxi-single market.
