About Us; The Members; Services; Gallery; Multimedia; Testimonials; Contact Us; Michael. Studios. It did not achieve the same level of success that they enjoyed previously, and as a result, only two of the three singles originally slated were released. Enigma's international success with MCMXC a.D. was a precursor to the creation of several other musical projects that follow similar styles and marketing approaches, especially the use of the term "project" as opposed to band to denominate themselves, and the label "enigmatic music", employed mainly by radios and listeners, to categorise their music inside the New Age umbrella. Over the next three decades, Enigma would release upwards of eight albums and collections, many of which spent time in the Billboard charts. Enigma is a German musical project founded in 1990 by Romanian-German musician and producer Michael Cretu. Enigma are a well established covers band from Norwich, Norfolk. The third CD is a collection of "lost tracks", musical experiments which never were finalized and released previously. Throughout 2019 and into 2020, three former vocalists for Enigma (Andru Donalds, Angel X, and Fox Lima) embarked on a world tour under the name Original Enigma Voices. [11][12], By the late 1980s, Romanian-born German musician and producer Michael Cretu had collaborated with several musicians, produced albums recorded by his then-wife, German pop singer Sandra, and released solo albums under his name for Polydor and Virgin Records, to varying levels of commercial success across Europe. His first three are the best in my opinion. He later said: .mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 40px}.mw-parser-output .templatequote .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;padding-left:1.6em;margin-top:0}, Enigma is all about reaching the limit and even moving forward from the already known. All of the songs are different from the originals and use minimal percussion. A home recording studio, A.R.T. It features guest musicians Brazilian singer-songwriter Mark Josher, Indonesian singer Anggun, female voice Nanuk, and English electro-pop duo Aquilo. [55] Cretu has cited the progressive rock band Yes as an influence. He recorded the first Enigma studio album, MCMXC a.D. (1990), with contributions from David Fairstein and Frank Peterson. [61][62], MCMXC a.D. and The Cross of Changes (1990 - 1995), Le Roi Est Mort, Vive Le Roi! The album remains Enigma's biggest, helped by the international hit single, "Sadeness (Part I)", which sold 12 million units alone. The project arrived with their 1991 single "Sadeness (Pt. It was released in Germany on 10 March 2006.[27]. Cretu wished to exclude his name from the album's liner notes so the listener could conjure their own interpretations. The first was The Cross of Changes (1993), which incorporated tribal and ethnic influences and sold over 8 million copies worldwide,[5] followed by Le Roi Est Mort, Vive Le Roi! Highly successful worldbeat dance project headed by Michael Cretu that broke through with the international hit "Sadeness" in 1991. [20], The 2000 release of The Screen Behind the Mirror included samples from Carl Orff's Carmina Burana on four tracks on the album. The samples were taken from Capella Antiqua's 1976 LP Paschale Mysterium; while the musical compositions were in the public domain, Capella Antiqua's recording of them was copyrighted. Enigma 3: Le Roi Est Mort, Vive le Roi! All the Enigma Discography will be repress on vinyl in may by Universal Music. [42][43][44] The case was settled out of court for an undisclosed amount of money and all further releases of the song were credited (including royalties) to the Kuos. Michael the bands drummer commenced playing drums and … The former became an international top-10 hit in 12 countries and is certified gold in the US for selling half a million copies. Studios in Ibiza, Spain in the early 1990s is both the composer and the producer of the project. Enigma is a German electronic project formed in 1990 by. A DVD version of A Posteriori was released on 16 December 2006, which featured kaleidoscope images in synchronization with the multi-channel remastered music. [39], In 1991, Cretu was sued by Munich-based choir Capella Antiqua and its record label Polydor Germany for infringing its "right of personality" through distortion in the samples used in "Sadeness (Part I)" and "Mea Culpa (Part II)". MCMXC a.D. was certainly groundbreaking and the sounds were haunting, beautiful and fresh. [17] The Cross of Changes was released in December 1993, and reached number one in the UK and number 9 in the US. [13], The first Enigma album, MCMXC a.D., was recorded in eight months and incorporated Gregorian chants mixed with atmospheric music and dance beats. B. Ruth-Ann Boyle; C. Peter Cornelius (musician) Michael Cretu; D. Andru Donalds; G. Jens Gad; P. Frank Peterson; S. Sandra (singer) This page was last edited on 24 December 2019, at 04:24 (UTC). In August 2016, Enigma's eighth studio album The Fall of a Rebel Angel was announced for a release on 11 November 2016. Two singles from the album have been released, "Sadeness (Part II)" featuring Anggun, and "Amen" featuring Aquilo. [32] The final mix of the single named "MMX The Social Song" was released on 15 December 2010. [2][47] The musical project is very experimental, often combining elements from other genres like ambience, pop, or rock. “Sadeness“, “Return to Innocence“, “Gravity of Love“ and many other hits were performed live by original members from Enigma project. On 19 September 2008, Enigma's seventh album Seven Lives Many Faces was released worldwide. The Platinum Collection, a 3-CD compilation, was released on 27 November 2009 in Germany, and on 9 February 2010 worldwide. [17] He turned the majority of them down as he disliked the scripts presented to him except for the erotic thriller film Sliver (1993), for which he produced two songs for its soundtrack: "Carly's Song" and "Carly's Loneliness". Studios, was built, and Cretu began work on a new, worldbeat and new age musical project named Enigma with David Fairstein and Frank Peterson. [38] In 2010, a reworked version of Alchemist was built and named Merlin. On 28 August 2005, Enigma's management Crocodile Music announced the release of "Hello and Welcome" as a single. Michael Cretu Andru Donalds David Fairstein Frank Peterson Jens Gad . Cretu was unable to contribute more to the soundtrack as he wished to spend his time working on the album.[17]. Niko : 0404 089 639 / Arthur : 0414 970 222 Toggle navigation. Fans also influenced further stages of the song's creation by voting on elements such as a lead instrument, general mood, and style of the track. He had previously used a Gregorian-type chant on the opening seconds of Sandra's 1987 single "Everlasting Love". followed in 1996. The first CD contains Enigma hits. There is more than one artist with the name Enigma: 1) Enigma is a German electronic musical project founded by Michael Cretu (Romanian musician), David Fairstein and Frank Peterson in 1990. (French for "The King is Dead, Long Live the King!") [48], Enigma's first album, MCMXC a.D., combines Gregorian chants[20][49] and religious overtones with atmospheric synths,[50] a hypnotic music-set, and a dance-like beat,[51] along with elements of pop and ambience[1] all accompanied by french-like whispers provided by Sandra. Members: Andru Donalds, David Fairstein, Frank Peterson, Jens Gad, Jérôme Pringault (J. Spring) ... Enigma is one of those artists that have trascended the scene with very powerful releases. Comes from Germany. About Us; The Members; Services; Gallery; Multimedia; Testimonials; Contact Us; Arthur. [6][7] Seven Lives Many Faces (2008) followed and contained a mixture of classical and modern elements ranging from ethnic chants to rap and dubstep influences. [16], Following the success of MCMXC a.D., Cretu received many offers for soundtrack work and writing film scores. (1996), which blended the Gregorian chants reminiscent from the first album and the strong intercultural soundscapes present in the second. Four singles were released in 1994: "Return to Innocence", "The Eyes of Truth", "Age of Loneliness", and "Out from the Deep". Only "Gravity of Love" and "Push the Limits" were released as singles from the album. [17] Cretu based much of its lyrics on the concepts behind numerology, and read books on the subject. Spring from Spain, and Rasa Serra from Lithuania provided other important parts of the vocals like the bridge, backing, and verse of the final version of the single. Im really hoping for a vinly box set release. Some of these tracks were available previously on the original A Posteriori iTunes version of the album and the previously mentioned DVD release. A light show was held at the Munich Planetarium in conjunction with the release of the compilation albums. This time the Gregorian chants were toned down tremendously, although Shakuhachi flutes and other traditional Enigma signatures remain. [45] Cretu has stated that he had been led to believe that the recording was in the public domain and that he did not intentionally violate the Kuos' copyright. nomination. [31] The top 3 runners up, Mark Joshua from Brazil, J. [4], Enigma followed MCMXC a.D. with a series of albums that involved several musicians and producers working with Cretu. The overseas shipping is to high for me to pay after the regular new lp prices. European law also recognizes moral rights (droit moral) in works. Cretu's idea was that this third album was the child of the previous two albums, and therefore included familiar elements of Gregorian chants and Sanskrit chants in it. [22], In 2001, Cretu released a new single called "Turn Around" together with Love Sensuality Devotion: The Greatest Hits and Love Sensuality Devotion: The Remix Collection to end what he considers to be the first chapter of Enigma. In 1988, Cretu and Sandra married and relocated to the Spanish island of Ibiza. 1.2K likes. [56] Likewise, French musical project Era features Gregorian chants mixed with pop-rock arrangements and is also frequently compared in scope to Enigma. The lead single, "Seven Lives", is a fusion of modern and classical elements. [19] After the album's release, Cretu found that several fake Enigma albums were released onto the market that Cretu deemed as "awful messes". The public was then asked to vote, with the winning submission "Fei mea" being provided by Latvian singer Fox Lima for the chorus. Enigma Band is a progressive 6 piece band delivering live Greek & English entertainment at weddings, corporate & private functions in Melbourne & interstate. Enigma is one of those artists that have trascended the scene with very powerful releases. This compilation includes 12 new remixed tracks from the album by artists such as Boca Junior, Tocadisco, and more. Upon its release in December 1990, MCMXC a.D. became an unexpected commercial success, helped by the international hit single "Sadeness (Part I)", released a month prior that reached number one in 24 countries. Virtual Fan Club", "Enigma's Seventh Studio Album, Seven Lives Many Faces, Transports Listeners to New...", "Enigma | Official Site - A.R.T. sold over one million units in the United States, achieved a Gold certificate in the United Kingdom and two Grammy nominations: one for its artwork design and the second as Best New Age Album. [55][57], More electronic projects that often draw comparisons with Enigma are French act Deep Forest,[58] Canadian duo Delerium,[59] Danish project Achillea (created by Enigma’s co-producer and guest guitarist Jens Gad)[60] and German project Schiller. was released. Studios, a home recording studio located on the Spanish island of Ibiza. I loved the first 3 albums "MCMXC a.D", "The Cross of Changes" and "Le Roi Est Mort", but for me there were increasingly too many vocals and lyrics on the albums afterwards. [2][12][47] Michael Cretu has said in an Q&A that he is " always looking for the unknown and I am trying to find new ways to express my ideas." Cretu secured a deal with Munich-based Mambo Musik to handle Enigma's management and publishing. [9], Enigma has sold over 8.5 million RIAA-certified albums in the US[10] and an estimated 70 million worldwide with over 100 gold and platinum certifications. [23][24], 2003's Voyageur saw a change of direction for the project, with most of the prominent Enigma signature elements (the ethnic and Gregorian chants, the Shakuhachi flutes) no longer employed. Home ; The Band. [30] Enigma fans were asked to submit vocals for a new Enigma song. This evolution culminated with Voyageur (2003), its fifth and more pop-based album, and A Posteriori (2006), a work inspired by the future collision between the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies, with distinct operatic tones and an electronic spectrum closer to Voyageur than the earlier releases. Numerous samples were used, including from songs by Genesis, Black Sabbath, Vangelis, and U2. From 1988 until 2001, Cretu lived in Santa Eulària des Riu followed by, from 2001 to 2008, a villa near Sant Antoni where the studio was redesigned and built by Gunter Wagner and Bernd Steber. [17], Soon after working with Michael Cretu on the first Enigma album, German producer Frank Peterson left the project to focus on Gregorian, a band that performs mostly covers of modern pop and rock songs with Gregorian-like vocals and symphonic instruments. Le Roi est mort, Vive le Roi! Voyageur and A Posteriori were recorded using an all-in-one mobile digital recording studio named Alchemist. No more unofficial lps at high prices!!! Highly successful worldbeat dance project headed by Michael Cretu that broke through with the international hit "Sadeness" in 1991. A Posteriori received a Grammy nomination as Best New Age Album, its second in that category following 1996's Le Roi Est Mort, Vive Le Roi! "MMX The Social Song" was the first Enigma release recorded with this model. Guy, Nancy. Group Members. A worldbeat dance fixture of the late 20th century and beyond, having sold tens of millions of albums worldwide, Enigma were an instant success with their unlikely combination of new age tones, chilled-out club production, and samples of Gregorian chant. Enigma Biography by Stephen Thomas Erlewine + Follow Artist. [14] The album reached the top 10 in ten countries, including the United Kingdom, and number six on the Billboard 200 in the United States, where it sold over four million copies and charted for more than 150 weeks. On 26 September 2006, Enigma's sixth album A Posteriori was released worldwide, containing a new version of "Hello and Welcome" and the new song "Goodbye, Milky Way". // Merlin // Description & Concept", "Taiwan Aborigines Sue Enigma, Music Companies", Enigma Sued By Aboriginal Couple Over Song Rights, Taiwanese Settle Lawsuit Claiming Their Original Composition Was Stolen; They Will Now Set Up Foundation, http://www.geocities.com/enigmalair/rtiarticle5.html RTI Article, "Michael Cretu answering questions from the fans", "reDiscover Enigma's 'Enigma 2: The Cross Of Changes, "Enigma's 'Cross of Changes' has New Age music, weak lyrics", "In a Sacred State of Mind: Delerium's Bill Leeb", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Enigma_(German_band)&oldid=988241599, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Most Successful German Production Abroad, 1991, Most Successful German Production Abroad, 1995, Andreas Harde (Andy Jonas / Angel X) – vocals, Alise Ketnere (Fox Lima) – vocals, co-writer, Jérôme Pringault (J. Niko : 0404 089 639 / Arthur : 0414 970 222 Toggle navigation. and The Screen Behind The Mirror (1996 - 2002), Voyageur, A posteriori, and Seven Lives Many Faces (2003 - 2009), The Fall of a Rebel Angel and Enigma's Social Song (2010 - present), CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (. [1] Cretu had released several solo records, collaborated with various artists, and produced albums for his then-wife, German pop singer Sandra, before he conceived the idea of a new-age, worldbeat project. This marks the first time Enigma's music has ever been performed live. Enigma Band is a progressive 6 piece band delivering live Greek & English entertainment at weddings, corporate & private functions in Melbourne & interstate. Spring) – vocals, co-writer, Mark Josher (Marcelo Amaral Pontello) – vocals, co-writer, Rasa Veretenceviene (Rasa Serra) – vocals, co-writer, This page was last edited on 11 November 2020, at 23:28. [13] Cretu credits himself as "Curly M.C." The new Enigma Le Roi Est Mort,Vive Le Roi lp is out on Ebay for 31 dollars. It became the first song ever created for and by the fans via the internet.[32]. and Peterson is listed as "F. Gregorian". The Cross of Changes was recorded in 1993 at A.R.T. He recalled management "fell off their chairs" when he requested it, "but it worked". His first three are the best in my opinion. [46], Enigma generally produces worldbeat and new age songs. In 1996, Le Roi Est Mort, Vive Le Roi! [3] According to Cretu, the inspiration for the creation of the project came from his desire to make a kind of music that did not obey "the old rules and habits" and presented a new form of artistic expression with mystic and experimental components. Submit Corrections. "Trafficking Taiwan Aboriginal Voices", Last edited on 11 November 2020, at 23:28, collision between the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies, Love Sensuality Devotion: The Greatest Hits, Love Sensuality Devotion: The Remix Collection, Billboard.com, biography, discography and US chart history, rateyourmusic.com, biography and discography, Official Charts Company, UK chart history, "Music Review: Enigma's LSD—Electronic & Choral Avant Garde, Engima Releases Greatest Hits—The Tech", "RIAA – Gold & Platinum – Search: Enigma", "Virgin Stays With Proven Marketing for Enigma", "A New Generation of German Writers & Producers Makes Marks Over the World", "Most Successful Virgin-Act 1990/91 | The Enigma Archives", "Michael Cretu: Enigma's musical alchemist", "Andru Donalds' Official Site Statement on Enigma", "A. R. T. Studios on EnigmaMusica (in Spanish)", "Crocodile Music's Note on Hello and Welcome", "Music | Picture gallery: World Music Awards 2002", "Son of the Cretu Machine - Sandra/Cretu/Enigma/T.A.A.W. // Alchemist // All In One Mobile Studio", "Enigma | Official Site - A.R.T. The second CD contains remixes. Cretu retained many of the elements from the first album, but "wanted to have a completely different experience. Home ; The Band. Enigma, Norwich, Norfolk. The project has also received three Grammy Award nominations. I wish somebody from the United States would sell some of the new releases of Enigma on record. [21] Ruth-Ann Boyle (from the band Olive) and Andru Donalds mark their first appearances on the Enigma project. [50][51] The Cross of Changes, Enigma's second album, replaces the Gregorian chants from the MCMXC a.D.[52] and replaces them with ethnic and tribal chanting. Sadeness Part 1 (Radio Edit) / One And Only Man, Let There Be Love / Mea Culpa Part II (Orthodox Version), Detroit - Chicago - Berlin - London - Amsterdam - Stockholm - NY - Tokyo - Paris - Moscow - Rome - Toronto - Bucharest, Trip Hop/Downtempo/Chill-Out/Lounge Artists. By the time of 2000's Screen Behind the Mirror , the initial hype surrounding the band had died down, but there was a die-hard Enigma fan base offering enough support to keep the project going, despite the album falling short of platinum sales. Love Sensuality Devotion: The Greatest Hits. Andru Donalds, Angel X and Fox Lima whose voices were behind many Enigma songs have performed as “Original Enigma Voices“ in a first part of a worldwide tour in spring of 2019. Arthur the bands bassist has been involved in music for over 30 … Read Full Biography. [28] In late March 2007, a Private Lounge remix album version of A Posteriori was released on the iTunes Music Store. That would be epic. [26] This disc also contained the single version of "Hello and Welcome", which was later released as a single. [29], On 5 October 2010, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the first album MCMXC a.D., The "Enigma's Social Song" project began. I)," which immediately became an international hit and the calling card for their unique sound. [40][41], In 1998, Cretu was sued by Difang and Igay Duana, the voices of which are used in "Return to Innocence", over the unauthorized usage of their song without credit. Experiments are a big part of my work and with every record Enigma has released there is something new. Albums 4 and 5 began to lose the mystique and ambience I loved about the first 3 albums and on albums 5 and 6 the music just wasn't 'magical' anymore. [54], Enigma's international success with MCMXC a.D. was a precursor to the creation of several other musical projects that follow similar styles and marketing approaches, especially the use of the term "project" as opposed to the band to denominate themselves, and the label "enigmatic music", employed mainly by radios and listeners, to categorize their music inside the New Age umbrella.