Enigma

Mcmxc A.D.

More than just sex

Review Score:

(10/10)
I know how many people see this cd as a collection of songs of sensuality and sexuality. I have listened to it many many times and love it, but I never can hear it is just a song of sex and physical pleasure.

To me, the blend of sensuality and spirituality points the contrast between each person's drives for pleasure and one's drives for spiritual peace. From what I can make out of the lyrics, many of which are in french, there does seem to be a spoken acknowledgement of this tension of sex and spirit. Ultimately, though, my conclusion is that the theme of the CD ends with spirituality at the helm.

I do not think the CD is meant to belittle sex or even to ask for celibacy and sexual abstinence. I think, though, that it touts spirituality as superior to even good sex. I cannot listen to this music without feeling my spiritual power and awareness lifted. When the cd ends with lyrics, "Take me back to the rivers of belief," I retrieve from the entire cd culminating in these words that spirit means more than anything, that spirit is humanity's most important element. The CD puts sex and spirituality not necessarily in conflict although it seems to acknowledge we are usually taught to see these as conflicting. But I think the cd means to say sensuality is a lesser part of spirituality; that is, sexuality and physical pleasures are part of life, but that with growth spirituality supercedes and outdoes sexuality.

I believe later Enigma CDs bear me out on this concept. For example, Cross of Changes lacks most of the sensuality/sexuality of MCMXCA.D. Instead, it deals with themes such as the exploitation of indigent peoples and the theft of their lands by conquest. Its main song is Return to Innoncence. The overall tenor of the Cross of Changes cd is hardly one of untamed sensuality and orgiastic pleasure. I do not think the musicians had some sudden transformation from tactilly oriented pleasure seekers to philosophical hope purveyors in just one CD. Instead, I think Enigma juxtaposed sexuality and spirituality in MCMXCA.D. in order to tempt us with both choices and allow us to decide which interpretation -- which choice -- to make but telling us subtly in the end with the closing lyrics that spirituality, to the extent sex and spirit conflict, is a more fulfilling, hopeful, positive path.

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