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Justify My Love - 5 TRACKS by
Madonna!
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.