Artist: Enigma Album: Voyageur

Year: 2003
Duration: 47:16

A Critical Review of the Album Voyageur by Enigma

Enigma, a German musical project, has been renowned for its unique style of music and mystifying sounds since the early '90s. Their fifth studio album Voyageur was released in 2003 and took a step away from their usual new age and world music fusion. As a listener, I was keen on delving deep into the album to find out if it still resonates with the quality of Enigma's music, and I'm here to share my findings with a critical review of the album Voyageur.

History of Enigma and the music genre of the album-

Enigma was formed in 1990 by Michael Cretu, a Romanian-German musician, and producer. They released their first album MCMXC a.D. in 1990, which featured their popular song Sadeness (Part I). The blend of new age, world music, and Gregorian chants with modern electronic sounds made the album stand out. However, Voyageur is known for its deviation from Enigma's typical sound. This album marked a significant change in the project's direction, with the addition of more rock and pop music elements fused with electronic beats.

Best songs of the album -

The album Voyageur consists of ten tracks, with each song telling a unique story with their vocals, lyrics, and melodic structure. While some tracks seem to have a weak connection to the overall theme of the album, a few songs stand out and make the album worth listening to. The song Boum-Boum encompasses tribal beats with a catchy chorus, providing a dance-worthy track. Look of Today features a pop beat with mesmerizing vocals and tells a compelling story of freedom. Goodbye Milky Way, the closing track of the album, takes you on a journey through space with its ambient soundscapes and profound lyrics.

Most innovative parts-

What Enigma excelled at in the past was its innovative blending of different music genres and sounds that created a unique experience for the listeners. Although the Voyageur album incorporated various elements of rock, pop, and electronic music, it failed to provide a novel experience. The most innovative track on the album would be The Screen Behind The Mirror, a song that features Indian instruments and traditional Indian vocals. This track showcases Enigma's ability to incorporate different music cultures into their sound and stands out as a unique song on the album.

A Critic to the album-

While fans may have appreciated Enigma's venture into pop and rock music elements, it may have caused the album to lack the essence of Enigma's trademark sound that made them unique and recognizable. The album seemed to be an attempt at reproducing commonly heard musical elements without providing anything fresh or new for the music scene. The experimental nature present in their early albums was nowhere to be found in Voyageur.

In conclusion, Enigma's Voyageur is an album that attempted to bring a different sound to the project, but it seemed to have missed the mark. While the album features a few songs worth listening to, it lacks the unity and innovative nature of their previous albums. As a listener, I suggest giving Voyageur a listen but not comparing it to their previous works as it lacks the same compelling and unique experience that Enigma is known to provide.