Enigma

Le Roi Est Mort Vive Le Roi

And Still, There Are Changes

Review Score:

(10/10)
Stating that Michael Cretu's third Enigma work is breathtaking is putting it mildly. Flowing with the elements that made the project's first two albums a success - haunting gregorian and world-based chants, and Cretu's signature synthesized pan-flute sound - while still creating a whole new feeling.

With its somewhat relaxed and personal feeling, E3 has been described by Michael Cretu as 'the offspring of the first two Enigma works'. And it truly is, as it incorporates what made the first two albums such a huge success, and elaborates on them. It is evident that Cretu has matured somewhat in his use of percussion, as the loud, sometimes overstated drums of E1 and E2 are not to be found in a large portion of the album.

Tracks that particularly stand out to this listen are as follows:

Track 2 - Morphing Thru Time: The first full-length track on the album. This song starts very subdued, and slowly builds into a symphony of beautiful sound. Cretu's voice is distorted, making it hard to understand what he's singing - but it's all part of the 'Enigma', as Cretu would say.

Track 4 - Beyond The Invisible: One of the two singles released for this album, this could be considered 'classic Enigma'. All of the trademarks are here - predominate world and religious chants, pan flutes, Sandra's lusty and passionate whispers, and Cretu's trademark distorted voice. A very solid track.

Track 10 - The Roundabout: This song was due to be released as a single, but was cancelled at the last moment when Virgin Germany decided there was not enough radio interest. Notwithstanding, this is an excellent, fast-paced track. Cretu's excellent chanting during the chorus is one of the few times he has left his voice undistorted in a song. Bravo!

This amazingly exquisite and personal journey of music should be remembered as one of pop's greatest triumphs. I encourage you to purchase this album, as I do not think you will be disappointed.

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