Product Description

"Good evening. This is the voice of Enigma. In the next hour we will take you with us into another world, into the world of music, spirit and meditation. Turn off the lights, takea deep breath and relax". So begins the experience of MCMXCA.D. The soft female voice with a beckoning European accentamidst an ethereal backdrop of harmonic soundscapes is followed by Gregorian chanting, and, finally, the beat. "Start to move slowly. Very slowly. Let the rhythm be your guiding light".
Perhaps this is what a techno artist would create to incite monks to dance: innocent grooves, sacred texts. Until, there enters another breathy, sensual woman with sultryFrench talk. By now there's a compelling dance groove, which builds for a few minutes, then finally plateaus into a space filled with dripping sounds where the beat is kept afloatby the rhythmic panting of our seductress. Gradually this grows as more instruments are added, and she continues, this time in English, with "The Principles Of Lust". Finally the panting becomes erratic, the Monks sing backwards, and Enigma has another fan.

Track Listing

1. Voice Of Enigma
2. Principles Of Lust
3. Sadeness
4. Find Love
5. Sadeness
6. Callas Went Away
7. Mea Culpa
8. Voice And The Snake
9. Knocking On Forbidden Doors
10. Back To The Rivers Of Belief
11. Way To Eternity
12. Hallelujah
13. Rivers Of Belief

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1367 in Music
• Released on: 1991-11-04
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Extra tracks

Amazon.co.uk Review
So much unnecessary fuss was made over Enigma's juxtaposition of the sexual and sacred. After all, Prince had been doing it for years, and his take on it was far more interesting--and a lot more daring. But Enigma's MCMXC A.D. did manage to work a lot of people into a lather, both on the dance floor and behind the pulpit. Their inclusion of chanting monks in "Sadeness", over wooshy ambient noises and a slower hip-hop-appropriated beat was a sensation. "Callas Went Away" promised more than it could deliver, although "Mea Culpa" stands as one of the few shining moments on the CD. The idea of mixing new age aural wallpaper with beats that you can do a slow grind to is actually rather intriguing. Spicing it up with controversial religious chants isn't a bad idea either. But there's got to be something personal to it. After the initial novelty wears off, there's nothing to MCMXC A.D. other than bland, cold, impersonal repetition. Now, that might be what most people are used to, but what's so sexy about it? --Steve Gdula

From Amazon.com
So much unnecessary fuss was made over Enigma's juxtaposition of the sexual and sacred. After all, Prince had been doing it for years, and his take on it was far more interesting--and a lot more daring. But Enigma's MCMXC A.D. did manage to work a lot of people into a lather, both on the dance floor and behind the pulpit. Their inclusion of chanting monks in "Sadeness," over wooshy ambient noises and a slower hip-hop-appropriated beat was a sensation. "Callas Went Away" promised more than it could deliver, although "Mea Culpa" stands as one of the few shining moments on the CD. The idea of mixing new age aural wallpaper with beats that you can do a slow grind to is actually rather intriguing. Spicing it up with controversial religious chants isn't a bad idea either. But there's got to be something personal to it. After the initial novelty wears off, there's nothing to MCMXC A.D. other than bland, cold, impersonal repetition. Now, that might be what most people are used to, but what's so sexy about it? --Steve Gdula

Customer Reviews

truly exceptional
Have just found this CD in my loft after being lost during the last house move. So happy to see it i nearly cried. Like being reunited with a long lost friend. Agree with the reviewers here (not Amazon)- this album can be many things to many people so long as you are not offended by the mix of hymns and sensual (at times sexual) beat / sounds. The work can function as background music while you work or socialise; or alternatively be the backdrop to chilling or meditating. It even gives the HiFi a work out at the same time!

Best
This is definately the best album out of them all. After having this for many years, it never gets old.

wow
wow- thats all i have to say.
this album is classic and if every one had this album, people would feel good all day