With their 1991 hit "Sadeness," Enigma brought the new age fascination with Gregorian chants and old-world culture to the clubs; the resulting single was both unique and irresistible. The rest of the album followed that pattern successfully, although without quite matching the stunning success of the hit single. On their second album, 1994's Cross of Changes, some of the old-world elements remained, but the new age angle came to the forefront in a set of slick, radio-friendly dance-pop. Enigma 3: Le Roi Est Mort, Vive le Roi followed in 1996. A side project, Trance Atlantic Airwaves, issued The Energy of Sound in 1998. The fourth Enigma record, The Screen Behind the Mirror, followed in early 2000, and in 2003 Voyageur came out. Three years later, A Posteriori was released, followed by Seven Lives Many Faces in 2008.
A POSTERIORI BY ENIGMA
After six albums, Michael Cretu has yet to run out of ideas for how to twist and morph his pulsating dreamscapes into new concoctions. Compared with his previous albums, A POSTERIORI is easily his most ambient album to date, losing the dance pop and verse-chorus-verse vocals of VOYAGEUR's fare and distancing itself from the gothic trance of THE SCREEN BEHIND THE MIRROR. A Galileo-era astronomy theme runs through the album and is reflected in the music, with songs that are spacious, mysterious and a bit meditative. Being an Enigma album, vocals and chant are used freely thoughout the album, although more in the form of snippets and samples than full vocals. "Goodbye Milky Way", the album's first single release, feels like a cosmic redux of Cretu's classic "Return to Innocence"; while "The Alchemist," "Dreaming of Andromeda" and "Hello and Welcome" display Cretu's gift with lush, immersive sonics.
Released in December 1990, ENIGMA 1 immediately captivated fans and critics worldwide with its innovative sound collage. The breakthrough single "Sadness Pt. 1" topped the charts in 23 countries, while MCMXC a.D. hit #1 in 41 countries and garnered 57 platinum awards - including triple platinum certification in America, where it has reigned on the Billboard Top 200 album chart for over five years.
CD PRICE $13.00
ENIGMA II
ENIGMA 2 continued the worldwide success of its predecessor. Since its release in December 1993, The Cross Of Changes has notched 21 platinum and 24 gold awards worldwide, with double-platinum sales in the U.S. The single "Return To Innocence" hit #1 in eight countries, went top 10 on five different continents, and became a top 5 smash in America.
CD PRICE $13.00
ENIGMA III
ENIGMA 3 now joins the ranks of its distinguished predecessors. Spurred by the debut single "Beyond The Invisible" (accompanied by director Julien Temple's evocative video clip), Le Roi Est Mort, Vive Le Roi! was pre-ordered to the tune of four million units.
CD PRICE $13.00
THE PLATINUM COLLECTION BY ENIGMA
This 3CD box with a slipcase and extended booklet features: 17 career-spanning Enigma hits, 12 highly sought after remixes, The Lost Ones: 11 never before released tracks created by Michael Cretu over the entire Enigma career!
1. Sadeness, Pt. 1
2. Mea Culpa [Orthodox Version]
3. Principles of Lust
4. Rivers of Belief
5. Return of Innocence
6. Age of Loneliness
7. Out from the Deep
8. Beyond the Invisible
9. T.N.T. for the Brain
10. Gravity of Love
11. Push the Limits
12. Turn Around
13. Voyageur
14. Boum Boum
15. Following the Sun
16. Seven Lives
17. La La Puerta del Cielo
18. Sadness, Pt. 1 [Violent US Mix]
19. Mea Culpa [Fading Shades Mix]
20. Principles of Lust [Everlasting Lust Mix]
21. Return to Innocence [Long & Alive Version]
22. Age of Loneliness [Enigmatic Club Mix]
23. Out of the Deep [Trance Mix
24. T.N.T. for the Brain [Midnight Man Mix]
25. Gravity of Love [Judgement Day Club Mix]
26. Push the Limits [ATB Remix]
27. Voyageur [Club Mix]
28. Boum-Boum [Chicane Club Edit]
29. Dreaming of Andromeda [Jean F Cochois Remix]
30. Lost One
31. Lost Two
32. Lost Three
33. Lost Four
34. Loust Five
35. Lost Six
36. Lost Seven
37. Lost Eight
38. Lost Nine
39. Lost Ten
40. Lost Eleven
3 CD PRICE $22.00
SEVEN LIVES MANY FACES BY ENIGMA
Few artists have quite the creative spirit Michael Cretu displays with Enigma. He broke ground by merging Gregorian chant with silky pop grooves on his classic "Sadeness Pt. 1," and has created a unique, original mystique with every album he has released since. Cretu's angle with SEVEN LIVES MANY FACES is a merging of 'in-your-face,' gritty beats with brooding orchestral samples. The sound resulting is lush and darkly beautiful, with enough Enigma trademarks to make the listener feel connected with past albums. Like "Touchness," which literally flows right out of the title track and features wisps of the Carl Orff chant themes that were ever present on THE SCREEN AND THE MIRROR. The melodramatic classical symphonics fit hand in glove with the Enigma universe, providing an intriguing sense of lightness that acts as a counterpoint to the rough, muddy beats.
After six albums, Michael Cretu has yet to run out of ideas for how to twist and morph his pulsating dreamscapes into new concoctions. Compared with his previous albums, A POSTERIORI is easily his most ambient album to date, losing the dance pop and verse-chorus-verse vocals of VOYAGEUR's fare and distancing itself from the gothic trance of THE SCREEN BEHIND THE MIRROR. A Galileo-era astronomy theme runs through the album and is reflected in the music, with songs that are spacious, mysterious and a bit meditative. Being an Enigma album, vocals and chant are used freely thoughout the album, although more in the form of snippets and samples than full vocals. "Goodbye Milky Way", the album's first single release, feels like a cosmic redux of Cretu's classic "Return to Innocence"; while "The Alchemist," "Dreaming of Andromeda" and "Hello and Welcome" display Cretu's gift with lush, immersive sonics.
MP3 clip
ENIGMA 2 continued the worldwide success of its predecessor. Since its release in December 1993, The Cross Of Changes has notched 21 platinum and 24 gold awards worldwide, with double-platinum sales in the U.S. The single "Return To Innocence" hit #1 in eight countries, went top 10 on five different continents, and became a top 5 smash in America.
This 3CD box with a slipcase and extended booklet features: 17 career-spanning Enigma hits, 12 highly sought after remixes, The Lost Ones: 11 never before released tracks created by Michael Cretu over the entire Enigma career!
Few artists have quite the creative spirit Michael Cretu displays with Enigma. He broke ground by merging Gregorian chant with silky pop grooves on his classic "Sadeness Pt. 1," and has created a unique, original mystique with every album he has released since. Cretu's angle with SEVEN LIVES MANY FACES is a merging of 'in-your-face,' gritty beats with brooding orchestral samples. The sound resulting is lush and darkly beautiful, with enough Enigma trademarks to make the listener feel connected with past albums. Like "Touchness," which literally flows right out of the title track and features wisps of the Carl Orff chant themes that were ever present on THE SCREEN AND THE MIRROR. The melodramatic classical symphonics fit hand in glove with the Enigma universe, providing an intriguing sense of lightness that acts as a counterpoint to the rough, muddy beats.
