Yes, Dark Sky Island’s mix of Irish folk, choral music, pianos, synths and vocals with more layers than a 50 foot gobstopper; but the music of Enya is impervious to outside influences: if she didn’t continue to make it, then nobody else would.
Those for whom Enya remains a musical taboo are unlikely to be tempted by Dark Sky Island. More open-minded listeners might, however, find themselves surprisingly captivated.
While it would be unfair to call Dark Sky Island a throwback, it does manage to harness some of the power and creativity of Enya's early days and pairs it with both the confidence and shadows of age.
Though her approach has calcified, the environments generated by her records are still singular, a gentle, untroubled, indefinite ambience that is very soothing to inhabit. It's like being embraced by the air.
The first half is full of pockets of gently unfurling prettiness, which makes the meandering and repetitive second half all the more disappointing, the nadir being The Loxian Gate’s wordless nonsense. Overall though, this is a surprisingly enjoyable trip to another world.
Enya is back after 7 years, 3 of those working on this album in which, although not wholly thematic, is inspired by the world's first "DarkEnya is back after 7 years, 3 of those working on this album in which, although not wholly thematic, is inspired by the world's first "Dark Sky Island".
The album hearkens back to and is most strongly reminiscent of "Shepherd Moons" mixed with "The Memory of Trees".
"The Humming" instantly transports us back to Enya territory, where there is no similar music style or sound to compare with. It's a signature dark-ish Enya track and sets us on this sort of cosmic journey the album draws on.
"So I Could Find My Way" and "I Could Never Say Goodbye" are the slow moving ballads, both heartfelt and saddening. Enya has terrific vocals and can sound fragile and strong at the same time.
"Even In The Shadows" is the most "modern of tracks" with a pulsing vein beat and is one of the standouts on the album
I believe "Forge of the Angels", "Remember Your Smile" and "Solace" are the weakest tracks, the latter two part of the deluxe additional tracks. They are similar sounding to her other work and there isn't enough variation to go around to say they are memorable.
"Echoes in Rain", the lead single, is optimistic and very buoyant, if not a little repetitive towards the end.
"Dark Sky Island" may be mid tempo and at first listen, a little plodding, but it too shares the best tracks with "Even in the Shadows".
"Sancta Maria" is an infusion of classical sensibility, new age and contemporary into one. If there were more lyrics, perhaps this would have been a huge standout.
"Astra Et Luna" has a beautiful and haunting opening and once in full force, sounds very much like a "A Day Without Rain" album song with the pizzicato strings and bouncy nature of the tempo.
"The Loxian Gate" is a cosmic journey and reminds me of something like "Storms In Africa" from "Watermark" or the track "The River Sings" from "Amarantine". It's one of those percussion heavy Enya songs and invokes some pretty epic imagery.
"Diamonds on the Water" is a pleasant song, alternating rhythm cleverly. A good song to close out the standard edition.
The one standout track on the deluxe edition is "Pale Grass Blue". This is, according to many, a fan favourite on the album. Quick lyrics and string heavy, it's similar to a "A Day Without Rain" album track, very much like the optimistic "Wild Child" or "Flora's Secret". It should have replaced "The Forge of the Angels" in my respectful opinion.
In short, it's her best work "A Day Without Rain". Arguably, it sounds like a way point between "Shepherd Moons" what with its mystical and mysterious vibe and the mid-tempo and craft songs of "The Memory of Trees" with a dose of pizzicato and bounciness to two tracks like "A Day Without Rain".
I believe fans will love this as it's less plodding and more upbeat and varied than the love-y dove-y "Amarantine" and much more refined and less campy than "And Winter Came" and much more complex and less simple than "A Day Without Rain". It's her best work in a very long time and the critic reviews reflect this.…Expand
A sound that had not much change, but it still transforms, it's the kind of music that the world needs to hear. That's the Enya's music and noA sound that had not much change, but it still transforms, it's the kind of music that the world needs to hear. That's the Enya's music and no one can do better.…Expand
Overall an anthemic album and alot of variation! Tracks to watch out for are "Even In The Shadows", "Dark Sky Island", "Echoes In Rain" and "IOverall an anthemic album and alot of variation! Tracks to watch out for are "Even In The Shadows", "Dark Sky Island", "Echoes In Rain" and "I Could Never Say Goodbye". Possibly the best work she has put out this century thus far! =]
Avoid Forge of the Angels and some of the bonus tracks; they don't do Enya justice at all…Expand
Depois de 7 anos sem lançar um álbum de estúdio e feito tantos trabalhos bons, acho que não esperavam que a Enya fosse voltar com um trabalhoDepois de 7 anos sem lançar um álbum de estúdio e feito tantos trabalhos bons, acho que não esperavam que a Enya fosse voltar com um trabalho que superasse vários anteriores. Dark Sky Island é um dos melhores álbuns da Enya sem dúvida, todas músicas são boas (só não gostei muito de So I Could Find My Way e Diamonds On the Water). O álbum merece sucesso, assim como todos anteriores tiveram e nesse trabalho é possivel notar que Enya, Roma Ryan e Nicky Ryan evoluíram com o passar do tempo em todos aspectos (melodias, letras, vocais, instrumentais).…Expand
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Yes, her voice and her music has always been very distinctive but I almost fell asleep when i pre-listen this album. There is nothing exciting here. Her way of composing, producing and even recording it is all the same and i personally think it is really boring. It is such a shame that she doesnt try with something new, knowing there are great tools and music libraries nowadays.…Expand
