Amazon.com

The primordial unknown--or the modern urban dweller's impressions thereof--has long been a staple of New Age music. So it was only a matter of time before some studio whiz got the notion to take the translation process one step further and bring that atmosphere to the dance floor. It's definitely authentic--the creators studied and borrowed genuine chants from African tribes--but just as importantly, it's remarkably seductive. The chart-topping signature song, "Sweet Lullaby," is indicative of what's going on in the grooves of the other nine tracks; ambient house beats burble pastorally while "multi-culti" samples ebb and flow gracefully, even romantically, through the mix. -- David Sprague ... Read more

Reviews (46)

Hey, it is what it is
Smooth like that whole early 90s ethno thing, and eminently listenable for chilled out background music a la Enigma and Brian Eno.

New Age is bad jazz? OK, then jazz must be bad classical.

Big deal...
I read all these all these enthusiastic reviews and wonder how many have actually heard of, or heard youssou N dour, king sonny aide or david rudder. Even bob marley or peter tosh? I don't know i just think that if you want to listen to third world music you don't need a white western interpreter which is what these guys are a pair of white dudes from france not an african group as one person suggested. The idea is nice and a bit patronizing but i have always thought of new age as bad jazz. Don't get me wrong this debut album is nice to listen to and to dance to most of the time. The fact that they contribute some of their royalties to these native peoples is a nice touch also. The pygmy recordings sound like babies and the drumming is mediocre. I just don't find this mesmorizing the same way i fine coltrane's "love supreme".

Eco music that celebrates the natural sounds of a low tech culture might not need to be so heavily electronic. But deep forest is. Is a real forest full of synth sounds? Again nothing wrong with it but next time try listening to real third world musians playing THEIR own music.

outer space
this music will transport you to another planet-whether your tastes might be the dead, or house music. some of the most hypnotic sounds you may have heard in a long time will capture your attention. mind blowing, trippy, wild stuff. a friend turned me on to this in 1993 & it really had an impact.
enjoy

classic house anthem!
for all lovers of house music, the "round the world" mix of Sweet Lullaby is considered a house music CLASSIC, dj's ... if you are looking for a CD copy of this track, this is the mix you are looking for

Global music mix-Geniuses
This is the best cultural mix album I have ever heard. Simple lyrics and sounds are cleverly mixed with sophisticated musical instruments to create a musical product that just blows the mind. If you are a genuine music lover, you do not have to understand the language-you just feel the human emotion in the music...which is universal and therefore a common language across cultures. I have all of Deep Forest's albums but this album is definately the best-so far. I know Deep Forest has been criticized by othersfor using "unathorized" material. I beg to differ. There is no such thing in a collective society such as the one the forest pygmies have-"what belongs to me belongs to all of us." They would have been offended if they had been offered monetary rewards. Just by being recorded, published and heard all over the world is enough reward for these simple and wonderful people. Some things just cannot be measured in dollars and cents. I am sure the pygmies themselves would agree. Even if this is not music from the forest...it could have been from mars, or anywhere in the universe...I still love it. And I am glad Deep Forest has a good ear for recognizing good music, the creativity and motivation to do something about it...and most of all, to bring it to the attention of the world. They should be encouraged rather than be discouraged by bad press. Love you DF!Keep up the excellent work. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

British soul in a perfect mix with the sounds of the orient.
I first heard this song in a bar in Glasgow and I knew right away I had to get it. "Letting go" with its subtle vocals and moody instrumentation, mixing modern British soul with the sounds of the Orient sweeps you off your feet. If there's something like a song with a meaning for life in itself, this is it. It's a song about courage, performed in the most exquisite way, with a top production. Buy it !Love it. Or even better buy the whole album "Broken Skin". ... Read more

Album Description

Long-awaited new album for Australia's most famedaboriginal / dance combo. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Wild honey
I believe this to be Yothu Yindi best albums yet with traditional and western style music with the added touch of pipes and the didje makes very intersting album and a very inspiring to didje players worldwide

Great because of it's simplicity
Yothu Yindi have songs that sound natural. You wonder why no-one has written them before. This album contains a balanced mix of traditional and contemporary songs. The didgeridoo players are hard to equal. ... Read more

Album Description

Japanese edition of the eagerly anticipated follow up tothe critically acclaimed 1999 album, 'Beyond Skin'.Includes 2 bonus track remixes of 'Sunset' (MJ Cole Remix & London Elektricity Remix). 17 tracks. 2001 release. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

What a pleasant surprise
When I heard a few months ago that Deep Forest was going to release a live Cd I was surprised. One would think this studio mastered group combining world beats with dance grooves might not be able to pull off a live album. Prepare to be surprised!

The CD combines their most popular songs from the preceeding three albums. Performing with Deep Forest are several singers from various backgrounds. This is a very beautiful CD and relaxing too. If you want a great CD and are new to the World beat realm pick up a copy. I think you will enjoy this CD.

The best live CD I've ever heard
I'm not too much into live albums. In general, I am more into the studio recorded albums than I am into live albums and I hate the redundant clapping and shouting but Made In Japan is a HUGE exception. They actually improved the songs!

Many of the songs on here while they sound good on their parent albums sound greatly improved especially those from the Comparsa albums. Green & Blue in it's parent album sounds good but the live version on Made In Japan sounds absolutely incredible! I especially love the live versions of Deep Weather, The Hunter and their internation smash hit Sweet Lullaby. While the original version has a sort of danceable beat the live version on this CD to me is better. It's great to hear their older songs given different drum loops with Sweet Lullaby being the prime example. In fact I like the live version alot more with the beats sounding a bit more original. The more complex sound of Sweet Lullaby magnifies that tracks power.

The musicianship is absolutely incredible. Forest Power is just plain breathtaking with fusions of rock, world, pop, jazz, funk and New Age all melted together.

While I don't really recommend live albums that much Made In Japan however I have to say is a must have.

A Kickin' Surprise! (how does Mouquet play that vocoder?)
I gobbled up DF's first CD, then leisurely digested "Boheme," adn then, on a whim, I picked this one up about six months ago for a sonic snack.

I'm still eating! For a synelectronica/world-beat duo, Mouquet and Sanchez and company can really put on a show. Their back-up musicians and singers make the songs break out of their electronic shell and onto a live stage. Particularly strong are the performances of "Ekue Ekue," "Forest Hymn," and "Hunting." A pleasant surprise from an esoteric band.

Fantastic!
I at first wasn't going to get this cd because normally I hate live music, with people clapping and stuff. That and I already had all the other Deep Forest cds so I was like "Why bother buying one that has no new songs?" I finally got a chance to listen to it at a store and I was amazed. Talk about different! The songs are wonderfully remastered to sound good at a live concert. Plus, I have to argue with people who say they didn't get the same people to sing. These ARE the voices you hear on all their other albums. I found many of the tracks to be a lot more enjoyable on this cd than on the original that they came from. If you like Deep Forest, and you want something to make you smile and dance, this is the cd for you!

Made in Japan - very, very interesting
If you are a fan of Deep Forest then this is a must. If you were curious just how their studio based multi-layered sound would translate to live as I was, you will not be disappointed. The tunes are given a breezy vitality and it becomes obvious that DF are not only crafty composers/producers but highly accomplished musicians also. New in here is an electric guitar or keyboard based guitar sound that really enhances EKUE EKUE and the anthemic FOREST HYMN. All of the tunes on this CD have become my favourite versions of the originals with the possible exception of FREEDOM CRY and that's only because the Boheme version carries a vocal so passionate that it is difficult to match it's intensity. To sum up on this CD, I reckon it a cheerful joyous collection of Deep Forest favourites that really makes you want to be in the band or at least that they brought their show to a town near mine. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Night Fever that isn't quite "night" and isn't fever at all.
I could make better compilation from my old cassettes.
It doesn't sound like Enigma at all - some garage-made mixture of not-really-great songs. Very disappointing... ... Read more

Album Details

Great Album from the Godfather of Afrobeat. ... Read more

Reviews (49)

Future primitive
Well, over seven years since it's release and much has been said about this first release by A.C.S.S. They are everything good said and more. There are not enough superlatives to describe this hybrid sound that evokes Highlander images, a morning mist shrouded in a damp dew, revealing glistening mountain tops beyond the vibrant green forest or a red sky sunset, breaking through the clouds, highlighting the shimmering crytaline waters, taking the listener to far away lands, known and unknown. The music is magical, it has a feel of aborigines dancing with the elves in a hipnotic, capricious rhythmical motion , swirling and joining together to form an elongated celtic knot. The music is undescribable, it is like Enya to a pounding ancient rhythmic beat, Celtic harps weaving with programmed keyboards, uilleann pipes, various flutes combined with talking and programmed drums, fiddles, banjos, mandolins, cellos and violas thrashing with bongos, doudouk and kora precussion, it is old world meshing with technology, it is music for a new age. As suggested by others, if you are just getting into Afro Celt Sound System, start your listening experience with this first and most excellent release, then move in progression with the band. The music is as worthy now as then so do yourself a favor and buy this disc. Later put this disc on and travel within your mind to magical lands beyond, all within the confines of your home. The space between your ears will thank you.

Cairo Egypt on an Irish landscape
I was first introduced to Afro Celt Sound System when I bought Eleation 1 wnad it had Sure As Not part on it. The song captivated me like nothing in a long time. A blend of trance, Celtic and African instruments, WOW! Truly magic. The album title is perfect. It's pure magic. I never thouhgt of seamingly opposite kinds of music could blend so well together. I have gained a great deal of respect for the Real World Label. Almost evey song stands out on this CD with sure As Knot beig the shining star.

The version on Elevation Vol.1 compilation had just part one. The version on here is almost ten minutes long with two parts almost like two tracks in one. The second part is almost as captivating as part one. The second half has more African chants and even some cildren voices and is a bit faster and trancey. This is perfect evening music. If you like Petet Gabriels Passion, Passion Sources, or even Enya, this is a must have as well as AFSS other two albums. They are exquisit.

This CD is much more folky and is almost opposite to Further In Time which is very technoish. Very little of the techno sounds are present on this CD. If you want world music for the soul get this CD. It's SO worth it.

I don't think the review I wrote on here could do this album justice. It's so outstanding is a sheer work of art and talent.

Definately one of the best world music CDs ever made!

And they only get better with each album.

Ditto
Five stars to all four of the albums put out by these grand folks. I do not need to offer a description as other reviewers have done a perfect job; but if it's helpful to you to see an emphatic "ditto to that" as a review, then here it is.

This, along with Enya, is truly my above all, favorite music across the board. Beats all my other faves in every other music category.

A true merger of Celtic and African styles.
Imagine Irish jigs and reels powered by a heavy jungle beat, African jazz supported by Irish pipes, whistles and fiddles, songs of prayer combined with high-kicking dance tunes, delicate harp melodies with synthesized accents -- all linked together by driving African percussion and an electric rock sensibility. That's the Afro Celt Sound System, but it doesn't begin to cover their sound.

The Afro Celt Sound System isn't a band so much as a cooperative of musicians intrigued by an idea. United under the umbrella of Peter Gabriel's Real World label, nearly two dozen musicians added their personal touch to make the idea a reality.

The initial product of their joining is Volume 1: Sound Magic. It cannot be described as Celtic or African in nature; yet, both styles are evident in spades. Sound Magic is a true union of two completely dissimilar musical genres.

Excellent!
This is quite simply a highly essential album from an extremely unique group who fuse seamingly opposite cultures together: Celtic strings & African drums! This album started it all. The music is very traditional and has little of the electronic mayhem of their following albums. "Sure-As-Knot" is absolutely haunting and enchanting!

Although there isn't exactly any filler on here, I'm not so much into the final track but that's just because it doesn't quite rank up there with the others. Still, it's pretty good, just the others are better.

Although not exactly up there with latter albums, This CD is nonetheless a need! Go out and buy it! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

psycho-stimulating
This remastered version of Robert Rich's first recording (from 1982) deletes one of its original tracks (which appears on another of Rich's remastered releases, "Trances/Drones"), but we are still left with over an hour of material. The original intent of the music was to be played during "Sleep Concerts," and it is in fact dominated by an ambient electronic sound designed to stimulate altered states of consciousness (hypnagogic illusions, etc.). In fact, it is hard to call it music at all, really; it strikes me as very like the lush psychoactive background sounds one hears on meditation tapes put out by organizations like the Monroe Institute (founded by Robert Monroe, the famous out-of-body traveller). As such it needs to be taken rather deliberately; I would not recommend having it on simply as background music! Still, neat stuff for those times one is feeling quiet, content, and explorative. ... Read more

Album Description

Long-awaited new album for Australia's most famedaboriginal / dance combo. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Wild honey
I believe this to be Yothu Yindi best albums yet with traditional and western style music with the added touch of pipes and the didje makes very intersting album and a very inspiring to didje players worldwide

Great because of it's simplicity
Yothu Yindi have songs that sound natural. You wonder why no-one has written them before. This album contains a balanced mix of traditional and contemporary songs. The didgeridoo players are hard to equal. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Diverse and interesting
Very interesting and diverse cd. You can hear arabic, indian, world influences moving from the background to the foreground inside a river of electronic sounds.
A cd that makes you travel spiritually and dance with the body... ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A very welcome evolution for Deep Forest
I have yet to hear Pacifique, but after Comparsa, it seemed Deep Forest had abandoned their electronica sound for a more ethnic cultural sound. With Music Detected, they have come full circle. The music is very electronic. In addition, the lyrics (yes, lyrics) are in English with the traditional chants serving as a harmony in the background. The new sound is amazing. The first single, "Endangered Species" is probably one of the best singles Deep Forest has had. Another great track is "Deep Blue Sea" which features Anggun's sultry vocals. While this album strays from the traditional Deep Forest sound, it is the natural evolution for these two artists. Definitely a welcome surprise!

A Blazing Original
No wasting words here. This album is profound and deeply moving. The first four tracks are uneven. The first is exceptional, the other three are just good. But from track 5 on this is a masterpiece album. I bought it on a whim in China and can't stop listening to it. Buy it...you won't be sorry. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Michael Cretu, the man behind Enigma, formulates an intriguing symbiosis between New Age musicality, classical and world-music influences, and dance-club rhythms. Gregorian chants, Native American meditations, and the breathy musings of a French chanteuse have been incorporated into legendary dance-floor hits from his previous three albums. The leitmotif of his fourth album, The Screen Behind the Mirror, is the grandly ominous "O Fortuna" from Carl Orff's Carmina Burana. "O Fortuna" opens the set and appears repeatedly throughout the tracks, sometimes lurking in the background, sometimes storming into the forefront. This album marks Enigma's continued foray into the ambient New Age realm, as Cretu's efforts focus more and more on melding compatible styles of world music, while the tracks are mixed into a single continuum. There's a lot to chew on; bits and pieces of church bells, Middle Eastern singing, and native instrumentation from you-name-it fold into each other on a steady current of shuffling hip-hop rhythms and velvety synthesized melodies. Cretu lends vocals to several songs, and his voice stands somewhere between Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins (though it's not as good as either), tending to distract from the album's flow and mood, lending it more of a prog-rock feel at times that he probably intended. Albums like this continue to invoke the same question: Is this a beautiful, transcendent union of artificial and indigenous sounds or is it just a bunch of self-indulgent schlock?It can be answered either way with equal conviction. --Beth Massa ... Read more

Reviews (269)

Cretu gets it down just right
I consider myself a newcomer to the Enigma fold, but after browsing through their catalogue of albums, I found that "Screen Behind the Mirror" stands above the rest as Michael Cretu's most disciplined, theatrical and energetic effort to date. Few criticize Enigma for being too dramatic, but this is what truly sets it apart from the debatable genres it has been placed in. "Screen Behind the Mirror" carries the best of all worlds, and those who adore the previous albums will be right at home with this puppy if they still harbor doubt about it.

The first Enigma was inventive and provided a taste of things to come with its erotic beats and unique samples swooping in and out to ethnic chanting and simple words of wisdom, a technique that would be greatly improved upon in "Cross of Changes", but definitely shines in "Smell of Desire" and the title track of this album (minus the ethnic chanting).

The third Enigma was very subtle and meditative, and so was not an album to dance to, but "SBTM" possesses a raw energy that will have you swaying to the groove and stomping your feet, especially in the primal-like "Push the Limits" and vocal-heavy "Modern Crusaders". The rest in between are equally great and like I mentioned before, cement it as a truly underrated masterpiece, standing next to "Cross of Changes" as mandatory owning. If you're new to Enigma like I was, it wouldbe a smart move to start out with this, and then if you're good and satisfied with it, dive right in with the rest that Cretu has to offer.

pretty disappointing
MCMMLVIIICIXVIX was 5 stars, cross of changes was 3 at best, le roi was 4-maybe 4.5 stars, but this one sucks.The sampling of Verdi or whoever it was is popularizing and stinkifying to high hell some incredibly gorgeous operatic music.It's shameful, and Cretu maybe should be castrated--oh, wait, He must be to hit those feminine notes he does.The female vocalist (not Cretu) is the only good singing on this record.The voice of Cretu is as usual saturated in reverb and delay, which really crapifies the sound, and makes it seem like he was desperate to somehow make this feeble attempt at music sound good.There are some good melodies here and there, but they are too broken up by garbage that the album as a whole is unlistenable and annoying.Enigma's strength is melody and weaving it into an album length song-experience, and this one entirely fails.The artwork seems to reflect the music too--choose an album based on the picture--it's about right.

Chill Sensual Groove
I love Enigma. I really love Enigma. "The Screen Behind The Mirror" is another great offering from this tight, creative ensemble. Whenever I want to kick it and calm down (which I need to do because I do get easily worked up my friends say) I put on an Enigma disc and fly.I don't know why it took me so long to get around to this one but I was not let down. I especially connect with "Silence Must Be Heard" and "Gravity Of Love". And I have to say, I really love the artwork on their covers. The visuals put me in in the mood for the aural experience.

One big complaint: This CD is way to short!!!!!

Better Than #3, but Not #1 and #2
The melodies on this CD seem to be more cohesive and enjoyable to chill to than those on their 3rd cd (Le Roi).Smell of Desire is easily my favorite and qualifies as one of the best dark/ambient tracks in my collection.I don't much care for the Carmina Burana stuff laced throughout a few of the songs as I think it clashes with the moody relaxed atmosphere Enigma is so good at creating.As with the previous few CD's, Cretu's vocals are less than impressive, but they don't appear that often on this CD.Push the Limits, Traces, and Endless Quest are also very relaxing.You won't find anything of the caliber of Sadeness or Return to Innocence on this CD, but it's still a good CD nonetheless.

Pushing the Limits
Just like previous Enigma albums "Screen Behind the Mirror" is a beautiful sound experience. It has influences from a bit of everything but the classic mysterious Enigma sound is still dominant on the album. Ambient, World Music and some more rock indfluented songs are all good, however I personally prefer the instrumental songs that creates a special feeling to the listener. It opens with "The Gate" that is a classic indrudution of what's coming, "Push the Limits" got electro sound and it isn't one of the best here. "Gravity of love" has a woman singing. It's a deep and magical song. "Smell Of Desire" is my favorite here. It's instrumental with flutes, guitars and slow drums. "Modern Crusaders" is rock influented and it's perhaps the roughest song Enimga has made, but even on their previous album we saw hints of Cretu's passion to express himself in words and he did that with a good result. This song isn't one of my favorites coming from the ambient Enigma but it's far from a bad song either. "Traces" is very beautiful. It's slow and it has got the sound of water dripping. The title track is odd, it has a beautiful sound and voices in the backround I don't understand. But it's mysterious which I like. "Endless Quest" is another flute song. Could have been influented from native americans. Wonderful. "Camera Obscura" is Cretu's own interpretation of the classic opera anthem, It will ring a bell when you hear it. A decent song, but not his own. "Between Mind and Soul" is a classic Enimga song with many influents, especially gregorian. The last song "Silence Must be heard" is a song with a female singer, it would have like to have it slower though. Overall this album is exellent, I didn't like all the songs but Enimgma delivers what the listeners want to hear from them. It's a album with many influensts that never will become repetitive or ordinary. "Screen Behind the Mirror" is the 4th Enimga album, and it's almsot just as good as the others. Exellent experience, don't miss your opportunity. ... Read more

Album Description

Japanese version of 1999 album that mixes traditional Asian music with jazz-soul and drum 'n' bass. NME called 'Beyond Skin', 'movingly anti-sentimental, political without being plemical, it's beyond stereotype and careening close to sublime'. Includes two bonus remixes of 'Homelands' (Coldcut Remix and Claussell Remix). 2000 release. Standard jewel case. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

techno desi fans unite!
For you techno desi fans (sounds of south asia) this is the one for you. A perfect mix of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khanesque jams with the temperment of british undergound techno sound...really a brilliant buy!

s_dennis@hotmail.com ... Read more