Electronic > Ambient Electronic > Virgin > 2000 to 2005

Advantages: beautiful ,soulful music
Disadvantages: none

What is Enigma? A band, a project, a state of mind, an attitude? Although people may be able to put a vague musical style to the name, it is a name well chosen. Information about Enigma is not that readily available but a bit of digging will reveal a Romanian musician called Michael Cretu and a long an intricate history. Cretu began playing piano at the age of five and has been involved in making unique albums, both as a solo musician and as a collaborator ...
...Mike Oldfield, Cretu moved in a more ethereal direction and under the name of Enigma has been releasing music that defies being pigeonholed. In 2001 after over a decade of successful albums, a greatest hits was forthcoming under the title "Love, Sensuality, Devotion" or L.S.D. But before we plunge headlong into this celebration of the bands finest moments, what sort of thing are we going to find there? Enigma remains a band that encroaches on many ... Read review

Advantages: Relaxing, calming
Disadvantages: n/a

...step further. Enigma 5: Voyageur still carries that Enigma sound throughout the album but with a new lease of life, to me this album is still the same but very different, it’s hard to explain, but, it’s very technical sounding with the metaphysical sounds of the other albums drawn to a close. A lot of the previous albums are here, with vocals, FX and now famous chords like the Enigma anthem from the other four albums. But Michael Cretu has made ...
...- (Special Edition) / 21.11.94 Voyageur / 08.09.03 LSD Greatest Hits / 08.10.01 LSD Remix / 08.10.01 Remember The Future / 17.01.00 The Screen Behind The Mirror / 13.12.99 Le Roi Est Mort, Vive Le Roi! / 25.11.96 CD Singles: Sadness Part 1 / 1990 Mea Culpa Part 2 / 1991 Principles Of Lust /1991 Rivers Of Belief / 1991 Carly’s Song / 1993 Return To Innocence / 1993 The Eyes Of Truth / 1994 Age Of Loneliness / 1994 Out From The Deep / ... Read review

Advantages: Original, POUNDING BASS
Disadvantages: naff lyrics!

...dry and generally meaningless but in this type of music you expect that. To describe it is a Prodigy for the next generation is fair i think and this album really is a classic already. The general feel of the tracks is similar, with one or two exceptions, the receipe being an acoustic start, heavy build up and powerful, low frequency repetitive and catchy taglines. Since i've owned it, It's been on loop in my car CD player wowing my friends with ... Read review

Advantages: composition, easy listening, sound quality
Disadvantages: none

...with some smooth downtempo in Dial 'M' For Monkey, delivering quality tracks like "Noctuary" and "Flutter". This album carries a slow, measured ambience that caresses the soul. Downtempo (or Downbeat) is a very laid-back style of electronic music, similar to ambient music. It's usually permeated with funky head bobbing rhythms, the stressed beat coinciding with the downtempo e.g. the first and third beat of every measure (a segment of time in musical ...
...corresponds to the uptempo. Dial 'M' for Monkey makes use of looped jazz riffs and simple yet mesmerizing basslines, always letting the consumer retain more with each listen. In fact, Bonobo is best appreciated in its subtlety and "little" sounds. It's easy to listen to, as it has the tendency to migrate to the back of the mind, but it also has a lot of depth for those who are willing to pay close attention. Every single track is high quality, ... Read review

Advantages: nostalgia, vocals, composition
Disadvantages: nothing to do with previous album

When Multiply was released I believe something must have exploded supernova-like in outer space due to some cause and effect phenomena. This was my first experience listening to Jamie Lidell, though I had seen his name on the Warp website for sometime. I tried to listen to his other albums afterwards, but to be honest, I was quite disappointed! Here Jamie has shook the ground with an attempt to recreate the early funk soul groove of the 70's and ...
...I come back Around" I felt like I was being taken back in time to the era of funk. I can imagine Otis Redding, Michael Jackson and James Brown trembling. While it's by far the best album I've heard in years, in comparison to his earlier work, there's absolutely nothing in common. Anybody can listen to "Multiply" easily, but other Jamie Lidell albums are to be handled with care. Ultimately, this is a great buy, but not something to judge the artist ... Read review