...in which the multi-talented ex-Romanian producer extraordinaire Michael
Cretu reveals himself to be -
Phil Collins?
Oh, sorry.
So here's the review, in a word: brutally disappointing.
That's two words, but just take another shot of this homebrew vodka and you
won't be able to count that high.
The killer is this:
The first Enigma record is a breakthrough, still in my all-time top 10,
still fresh, still luscious, delectable, irresistible, that tragically
sensuous mix of religion and sophisticated sex that drives us descendants
of Puritanism silly.
The second was a bitter pill, but I thought MC would regain his balance.
We all know about second-record slump.
All signs said that three's a charm.
No such luck.
The character of the record:
The chants are back. Gregorianize yourself.
That's groovy.
Some various vaguely worldmuzak sounds blend smoothly.
Production is vibrant and organic headphone trauma.
Exquisitely lush, jazzy trippy beats, studio wizardry, the trademark
brilliant crossfades.
Killed by:
1. Lyrics that are too dreadful to endure. At least would have sounded
more profound in French, or Latin, but no go.
2. MC's histrionic vocal style, using every
MichaelBoltonPhilCollinsRockStarPose con in the book.
Sandra's voice, which was so soothingly seductive on Enigma 1, is here lost
amid her beloved beau's bombast.
If one could dub out the vox, this would be one amazing record.
As is... well, the translucent case and booklet are fab!
Anyone want to buy an Enigma CD, played once?
MC MC, get back to form!
The man has obvious talent and devotion, a meticulous perfectionist with
vision, and all this just adds salt to the wound, which really was in need
of just a dash of paprika.
In the meanwhile, anyone who loves the first Enigma record as much as I do,
and has been breathlessly awaiting a sequel, orders of magnitude better
than sampled pygmies, should align their credit card magnetic strips
towards Delerium's "Semantic Spaces", a sort of Enigma tribute via
darkambientgothicindustrialethereal. Or track down the full-length
video-album of Enigma 1 - fascinating and as beautiful and beatific as the
record.
Best always,
Zenon M. Feszczak
Enigmatist