Enya "Amarantine" (2005)

 Potentially saturating my own Enya experience, Amarantine has struck me as a step backwards for such an esteemed, visionary artist. Held afloat by an ever persisting enchanted chemistry between her sublime voice and magical synths, a familiar cast of motifs emerge as creativity dwindles. From yearning folksy numbers to nocturne piano pieces and elegy hymns, the experience narrows in scope as fresh ideas elude.

 

Amarantine lacks an ambition, resulting in toned down approach less spectacular, sparingly subdued into commonality. Resting on ones laurels, Enya paints a beautiful soundscape, inescapable of familiarity's to her back catalog. On occasional, its gentler touch and moments of minimalism highlight her incredible singing, Water Shows The Hidden Heart, yet these quieter stints feel like lost space for inspired inventiveness.

 

 Its not without its merits. Amarantine certainly achieves to indulge one in Enya's Ethereal realm across its forty five minutes but more as a background piece. The title track itself plays a bespoke lyrical craft, touching deeply upon loving themes through the metaphor of its flower. A memorable song for that reason alone, as its instrumental make up seems bare bones in nature. That may just be the point, to strip things back, prove the magic works, however all that fantastical embellishment definitely elevates.

 

Rating: 5/10 

Enya "Enya" (1986)

 

To experience it at the time, would have been something else. To now venture back to her origin after reveling in such masterful inspirations as Shepherd Moons and A Day Without Rain illuminates the soft amateurish blemishes with a most endearing charm. All the familiar and distinct songwriting approaches arrive matured and unique. Its the albums production and synthetic instrumentation that are yet indulge in sound design.

The aesthetic of these early Roland, Yamaha and Kurzweil keyboard synths play with a punch and immediacy, as so many early synths do, yet to nurture the crafts of soft attacks and roomy reverbs. It gives many moments in the record a feeling of bedroom composer, in the best of ways. Despite that, Enya's brilliance to sway between singer and instrument with her saintly voice often fills in that need for a gentler touch.

In terms of pacing, the music flows through a myriad of ideas, often lacking direction but given its indulgent nature, all destinations seem fantastical, other worldly, spiritual, humanist or even heavenly. With dashes of playfulness and colorful experimentation along the way, it rarely runs short of steam, just a couple of two minute songs feel unfinished. A wonderful variety that also lays foundations for many future Enya tacks.

Highlights include the dazzling arpeggio sequences of Aldebaran, the moving folk leads of The Sun In The Stream played on uilleann pipes. Its opening track, The Celts, another delight and a Hip Hop surprise with the darkly hummed Boadicea, which acts as the main sample for Fugees with their classic Ready Or Not. Fantastic debut!

Rating: 7/10

Enya "The Memory Of Trees" (1995)

This could be my now established familiarity with Enya's remarkable music but The Memory Of Trees has a touch of "by the numbers" to it. The overall flow reveal a familiar structure, uniformity and similarities in songwriting find footing in cadence to that of other records. Anywhere Is has that playful tropical jollity to it, a charming track none the less. Pax Deorum takes an early dive into the dark side, conjuring echoes of Mordor war drums in the deep to guide its foreboding menace. A brief resolution of angelic respite emerges before plunging back into the fantastical devilish demeanor.

From there, the album drifts through its calmer sentiments. Endearing voice and string harmonies, emotive piano compositions and touches of childish joy on tracks like Tea-House Moon. That familiar mix of English, Gaelic and wordless singing guides the way. Ending with On My Way Home, that and the hymn-like Hope Has A Place strikes with an uncanny sense of Deja-vu. Surely I've heard these exact ones before?

Its a strange sentiment to emerge from an otherwise thoroughly enjoyable record. A stagnant moment from a musician in peak stride. Not something to complain about. The Memory Of Trees is a luscious listening experience, a craft of pure inspiration but seemingly the same inspiration, leaving me with a lack of fresh vocabulary to expel despite being enthralled once again, another wonderful chapter.

Rating: 8/10

Enya "Shepherd Moons" (1991)

 

Understated yet sublime, Enya returns with a seemingly subdued take on her previously adventurous, occasionly tropical music. Shedding the New Age traits, she hones in on deeper, humanist inspirations. Clearly inspired by Irish herritage, voice and instruments form a union around the spirit of Folk hymns. A harmonous, intimate tone emerges, capturing a spiritual connection through seeming but deceptive simplisity. Stripped back composotions commonly pair strings and pianos, laid bare against Enya's exemplary voice. They strike at the heart of a songs intention, without the melodic garnish and fluffy fanfare that could easily slip into these compositions.

Thus Shepherd Moons almost seems broody on first encounters. A lengthy foray into atmosphere over immenence. Regular intervals linger on these minimalist passages, maximized by the aesthetic claritty of immaculate sounds suspended in gentle, spacious reverbs. This approach leans into the spirtual sentiment, a soothing breeze of mortal meaning, profound and almost devine in its church hymn nature. So to does her singing in Gaelic evoke that emotive power found in traditional communal music.

 Describing the magic of Enya's voice is such a feat. Words evade yet a prevailing sentiment remains. She seems like a muse unto herself, channeling heavenly inspirations to a humane destination. Learning of her seclusion from the lime light and reluctance to perform live elevates this mythos. Citing she cannot do her carefully crafted songs justice, I end up with a sense of finding perfection that works.

When her voice graciously drifts over adorning strings or moving piano chords, its simply wonderous. So often she arrives in different measures, from gently singing words, to humming tunes and many places between. Layering melodies and chanting like choral synths, it all comes together with a touch of divinity. On this incarnation, it all flows like a river of time, continuously flowing, giving one a dose of tranquility.

Rating: 9/10