First, a confession: I am a diehard Enya fan.
So if you were hoping for a cynical, cocked eyebrow account of this new age album then you will be sadly disappointed.
I have actually sung one of Enya’s songs at karaoke, a left-field move that cleared the dance floor and left the DJ looking confused and pained, although that could of course have been down to my performance.
I want to share my love of Enya with the world but in hindsight perhaps following a stag do’s rowdy rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody with May It Be wasn’t the best move.
Let me give you some examples of Enya-appropriate situations in which you could enjoy her new album, Dark Sky Island.
Traffic jams, early morning jogging, late-night revision, and the way I enjoy my Enya best; sunbathing.
If you’ve never tried it go to YouTube now, search for Caribbean Blue and lie on the floor. I promise you will be transported to sunnier climbs in a matter of seconds!
Suffice to say I had high expectations of this album, following the calibre of Enya’s previous offerings.
Dark Sky Island is unmistakably Enya, featuring Roma Ryan’s artistic language Loxian, as well as Enya’s distinctive vocals and harmonic choices.
The opening track, The Humming, is definitely classic Enya but absolutely catchy and moreish in its own right.
So I Could Find My Way evokes a Celtic Lana Del Ray vibe and Echoes In The Rain could have been produced at any time since Enya’s 1987 beginnings, such is the timeless nature of the music.
The stand out track is The Forge Of The Angels, performed in Loxian and despite not featuring any vocals in English still conveys a sense of intensity and urgency that: “One must first love their journey through the stars for, though the night may seem forever, the first stars have already gone…”
Arguably I Could Never Say Goodbye lacks some of the depth of the rest of the album, the text heavy track seeming twee when compared to some of the more complex numbers.
Still not convinced Enya is epic?
Image courtesy of enyatv via. YouTube, with thanks.
