This post was submitted by Jeremy Gloff

It is July 4th. America is celebrating its birthday. In Tampa the air is hot and thick. I check my Facebook and as usual my friends are bickering about the merits of Lady Gaga’s existence. And thousands of miles away, over an ocean and in a different time zone, work has begun on a new Madonna album.

Madonna. Because of her I saw two men kiss for the first time. I probably have Madonna to thank for cultivating my quick wit and penchant for off-color comebacks. Her music has been the soundtrack to my life. From the time I was eight until 2008 her albums put music to the life and times of Jeremy Gloff. And then there was no more new music.

Since 2008‘s underwhelming (but still somewhat loveable) misstep Hard Candy, Madonna has slipped from public view. Sure, she went on tour, got a divorce, directed a movie, and released a greatest hits album. Still this has been Madonna’s longest sabbatical from the top 40 public eye since the time between Bedtime Stories (1994) and Ray Of Light (1998).  Only this time Madonna is a pop singer in her mid 50s preparing  a product that will be released in a market saturated with her clones. Anticipation is high. A recent blog post summed up many fan’s sentiments  and fears about the upcoming Madonna release.

Via text my friend and I talked for hours about what could make or break the new Madonna album. Unknown producers are preferred. Of late Madonna working with trendy producers has resulted in creatively barren crops. But here is a list of five off-the-wall collaborators that just might be able to bring the magic back to Madonna.

1) Matt and Kim – I find these hipster Brooklynites unbearable but their enthusiasm is undeniable. Their music emotes the same carefree abandon as Madonna’s early dance hits. These two might be able to bring the underground New Yorker back out of hiding.

2) Girl Talk – Hailing from Pittsburgh, Girl Talk is a DJ/musician who knows how to blow to roof off of a club. It would be interesting to see what Girl Talk could do in a more pop realm, and how Madonna would flourish in the realm of Girl Talk. The results could be experimentally delicious. Less verse/chorus/verse…more party.

3) Daniel Lanois – The man behind U2‘s most powerful moments (and Emmylou Harris’ “Wrecking Ball”) might steer Madonna into a completely artsy, ethereal, and epic direction. Madonna hinted at the magic that could happen if rock married dance on songs like “Intervention” from American Life. Imagine if she fleshed out this vision? She may sell less, but she would reestablish herself as a risk taker.

4) Duck Sauce/Armand Van Helden – “Barbara Streisand” was one hell of a dance jam. Duck Sauce member Armand Van Helden has been consistently inventive and on target for his long and illustrious DJ career.  Remember how hot the remix of Tori Amos’ “Professional Widow” was?  I have no doubt Armand would take Madge out of her safety zone.

5) Giorgio Moroder – Instead of paying tribute to Giorgio (as she did on “Future Lovers”) why not work with the grandfather of German electronic music himself?  Although Giorgio’s output has been pretty fluffy over the past couple decades, perhaps a meeting with Madonna would revitalize both of their creative sparks. Imagine Madonna doing a cover of Donna Summer’s “Lucky”?

I also toyed with the idea of a three-way collaboration between Brian Eno, David Bowie and Madonna. I pray we see no collaborations with Kesha, Gaga, or Taylor Swift on the upcoming Madonna album. Who do you think Madonna should work with on her upcoming album?

more Jeremy Gloff on Facebook.
also check out the Madonna Scrapbook blog I check  daily.

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