Madonna - Dark Ballet - Single [Review]

"Dark Ballet" is the fifth single from Madonna's upcoming studio album Madame X, due for release on June 14, 2019. The single is preceded by "Medellín" (which I reviewed here), "I Rise" (which I reviewed here), "Crave" (which I reviewed here), and "Future" (which I reviewed here). I saw a fan on Facebook refer to "Dark Ballet" as this generation's "Bohemian Rhapsody," and while I do think that it is a fantastic and amazing song, I sincerely doubt that it will ever reach the iconic nature of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" (especially since not even Madonna's most iconic singles such as "Holiday" or "Like a Prayer" have quite reached that status). I do, however, understand the comparison in musical style because the song keeps switching between different musical genres and styles, and like "Bohemian Rhapsody," it features (as the title would suggest) a ballet part as well as an intro and an outro (or coda). I love the piano accompaniment in "Dark Ballet" and am definitely looking forward to hopefully hearing the instrumental of the song. I especially love the very fast and fantastical piano solo that breaks through a little less than halfway through the song - the part of the song that is ultimately (to me, at least) the apex or climax of the song. This is quickly followed by playful synths that lead into vocals so distorted that they're nearly impossible to understand (reminding me a bit of songs like"Impressive Instant" and "Hollywood" which makes Mirwais' involvement in the song's production pretty obvious) over a sampling of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's easily recognizable "Dance of the Reed Pipes" from his 1892 ballet The Nutcracker. Similar to previous singles "I Rise" and "Future," "Dark Ballet" urges us to start caring more about our surroundings and the world in which we live: "'Cause your world is such a shame," Madonna sings in the chorus of the song, 'cause your world's obsessed with fame, 'cause your world's in so much pain... 'cause your world is up in flames." It asserts its message from the perspective of the historic Joan of Arc (to whom Madonna also alluded on her Rebel Heart song of the same name) who was executed by being burned alive at the stake (in part because of the crime of cross-dressing and in part because her claims of visions were regarded as heresy), which Madonna directly touches upon in these lyrics: "You can cut my hair and throw me in a jail cell, say that I'm a witch and burn me at the stake." (I especially love these lyrics because they remind me of In This Moment's song "Joan of Arc" in which frontwoman Maria Brink sings, "...and I wage my war 'cause either way, you'll burn me at the stake.") "Dark Ballet" is by far the most experimental track not only from what we have heard from Madame X thus far but is also one of the most experimental tracks from her entire catalogue so far, and it's definitely my favorite single thus far from Madame X. (I am finally starting to feel a lot more confident about this album!) I do, however, find it a bit odd that it is the second track on the album because it definitely sounds like a closing track.