Artist: Enigma Album: Seven Lives Many Faces

Year: 2008
Duration: 49:58

Enigma's Seven Lives Many Faces - A Critical Review

Enigma is a unique music project that blends electronic, new age, and world music genres. The brainchild of Romanian-German musician and producer Michael Cretu, Enigma has been captivating listeners since the early 1990s. Their fifth studio album, Seven Lives Many Faces, released in 2008, received critical acclaim and was commended for its experimentation and innovation. In this blog post, we will take a closer look at the album, its genre, best tracks, and what makes it stand out.

Seven Lives Many Faces follows the same theme as Enigma's previous albums - combining different cultures and sounds to create a new and fascinating sonic world. The album explores the various stages and forms of life by adding intricate melodies, ethnic rhythms, and experimental beats. The music genre can be broadly classified as electronic, but it also draws heavily from world music and new age music.

The album's most significant strengths are Michael Cretu's production and Sandra Cretu's vocals. Michael's instrumentation skills are evident in every track, where he blends a variety of sounds, from chanting monks to electronic beats, to create an eclectic mix. Sandra's vocals take center stage in most tracks and have been praised for their clarity and resonance. Her voice adds a human touch to the electronic beats.

The album's best tracks are Encounters, La Puerta Del Cielo, and The Same Parents. Encounters sets the mood for the album with its haunting melody and Sandra's mesmerizing vocals. La Puerta Del Cielo is an instrumental track that features Spanish guitar and a flamenco rhythm, making it one of the most experimental tracks of the album. The Same Parents is a contemplative track that explores the themes of unity and diversity through a slow melodic pace.

The most innovative part of the album is its production. Michael Cretu has masterfully blended different cultures and genres to create a distinct sound that cannot be attributed to any one genre. The album's first release, Seven Lives, is a prime example of this. The track features ethnic instruments, electronic beats, and a Latin chorus. The track's opening line, We are the colors of the seven winds, sets the tone for the album's exploration of the different colors of life.

While the album has its strengths, some critics argue that the album lacks cohesiveness. The tracks can be seen as individual pieces that do not add up to a bigger picture. The album's slower tracks can also become monotonous and, at times, unengaging. However, these criticisms are few and far between, and the album's experimentation and innovation are still commendable.

Enigma's Seven Lives Many Faces is a must-listen for anyone interested in electronic, world, or new age music. Michael and Sandra Cretu have combined their talents to create a unique and engaging album that explores the different colors of life. The album's strengths lie in its experimentation and innovation, evident in Michael's production and Sandra's vocals. While not a cohesive album, Seven Lives Many Faces is still an excellent addition to Enigma's discography.

Enigma's Seven Lives Many Faces is a must-listen for anyone interested in electronic, world, or new age music. Michael and Sandra Cretu have combined their talents to create a unique and engaging album that explores the different colors of life. The album's strengths lie in its experimentation and innovation, evident in Michael's production and Sandra's vocals. While not a cohesive album, Seven Lives Many Faces is still an excellent addition to Enigma's discography.