I must be going through a bit of a mellower stage of life at the moment, hot on the heels of a Loreena McKennitt review comes one for Enya, probably the best known artist working in the same hard to categorise musical field. Like Loreena McKennitt, Enya mixes a range of musical styles, and even languages, to create her own beautiful musical tapestry. Both women borrow from a wide range of cultures from around the world and don't even limit themselves to the here and now, delving back in time as the need arises to create soundscapes full of mystery and timeless wonder. Enya, as I said, is probable seen as the ambassador for this genre and since the release of Watermark in 1988 has sold 44 million album, received a handful Grammy nominations (and two wins) and has managed to propel herself to the position of most successful female solo artist in her homeland of Ireland. Although it becomes difficult to separate one from the other Enya the vocalist is not the same as Enya the band, indeed the vocalist is always credited with her given name, Eithne Ní Bhraonáin Although always regarded as purely a solo affair, the albums released under her more manageable professional name are the collaboration between the high profile vocalist
herself, producer Nicky Ryan and lyricist Roma Ryan. By her own admission without any of them Enya would not exist. This album is a "best of" collection and was released in 1997 and so is a collection of the tracks found on Watermark, Shepherds Moon and Memory of Trees as well as The Celts, a pre-Watermark sound track to a T.V. documentary, which was re-mastered and released in its own right in 1992.
Best of albums are great as a furtive dip into the watery depths of an artist, and Paint the Sky… is ideal for that. Fourteen tracks outline the ex-Clannad members career (I told myself I wasn't going to mention her former band, oh well) and two new creations that sound as if they were big hits for her anyway.
The album opens, quite rightly, with Orinoco Flow, this is after all where it all began, the one that got the girl noticed and marked her out for great things. An almost pop induced collection of classical cellos, piano and modern keyboards provide a platform for this nautical journey that takes us…
From Bissau to Palau - in the shade of Avalon, From Fiji to Tiree and the Isles of Ebony, From Peru to Cebu hear the power of Babylon, From Bali to Cali - far beneath the Coral Sea
…and Orinoco Flow appears to relate to the name of a boat and a long dreamt of journey. Intricate piano riffs wash over you like the waves against the prow of the boat as the dynamic within the song rises and falls to create a range of sound within the song, from minimal unaccompanied vocals to full on orchestral power. This song introduces you to the originality of what Enya does, in its component parts the songs are formed from classical sound, the building blocks used by Wagner, Strauss and Mozart, but when mixed with modern electronic studio wizardry and the fantastic and richly textured vocal arrangements and a commercial bias, the end result is a unique creation, familiar yet totally original. It would be too much to relate the details of every song to you and that would also be to spoil the joy of listening to the album, which I believe you all should, so it must suffice for me to highlight the tracks that typify Enya's unique qualities.
Caribbean Blue seems to be a modern take on a Strauss like waltz, its gentle three-four beat and an almost harpsichord backing act as a structure for a vocal wash that takes the place of the orchestra of days past, Blue Danube for the new age. After the almost monastic chant of Book of Days comes a counterpoint in the form of Anywhere is. Almost as well known as Orinoco Flow it is a combination of classical rhythms and pop sensibilities.
You go there you're gone forever I go there I'll lose my way If we stay here we're not together Anywhere is
The Celts, a track from the early work is sung in Gaelic and highlights the artists fascinations with language, at a turn Greek, Latin or Spanish may be called on to achieve the desired affect and comes from the attitude that the voice is as much an instrument as a means of literal communication, therefore it is not always necessary that you understand the actual words, the emotional connection between artist and listener is what is important. In this song as well as others on the album (Ebudae) it is enough to experience the overall effect without needing to know the literal meaning of what is being said and Gaelic is such a wonderful language to listen to details become unimportant.
Like the aforementioned Ms McKennitt that I constantly compare this artist to, the music has the ability to whisk you away to a place of the performers choosing, Storms In Africa evokes the dark skies prior to the dangers of a wild tropical downpour on the dark continent and at a turn a song such as Paint the Sky With Stars, incidentally one of the two composed for the album specifically, will whisk you off to fly through the night sky. Whilst most of the songs have a wistful feeling, there is as much celebration as reflection in this collection of songs and On My Way Home seems to contain an equal measure of both. As you would expect the vocal work is what stands out with this album, and with Enya's work in general, but that is in no way to say that there is anything lacking in the music, it is as beautiful, subtle, emotive and creative as the voice, which in many ways should be seen as an instrument itself and not a separate entity.
Whether looking for and introduction into the eclectic world of new age music, an overview of Enya or your just looking for a lovely set of songs to provide a relaxing ambience for those quiet moments, Paint The Sky… is one album that fits the bill.
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New Age diva Enya first became widely known when her 1988 albumWatermarksold 4 million ... more
copies and launched the single "Orinoco Flow". Her follow-up,Shepherd Moons, was even more successful, selling over 10 million copies despite its slightly lower gr...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Advantages: You can follow the paints in the sky of imagination, if you dream a little Disadvantages: It can be difficult to appreciate for some sad, depressed people
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