A Posteriori

Enigma | Format: MP3 Download

Product Details

• Original Release Date: September 22, 2006
• Release Date: September 22, 2006
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: VIRGIN
• Copyright: (C) 2006 Virgin Music, a division of EMI Music Germany GmbH & Co. KG. This labelcopy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved. (C) 2006 Virgin Music, a division of EMI M
• Total Length: 1:14:59
• Genres:
• ASIN: B000TETJWW
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (117 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #17,797 Paid in MP3 Albums (See Top 100 Paid in MP3 Albums)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

70 of 74 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I must defend this album!, September 26, 2006

By 

R O C K E T (The Twin Cities, MN) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: A Posteriori (Audio CD)

I admit...when I first listened to the album I was slightly disappointed. I thought the same thing about it being a bit repetitive. The songs seemed a bit incomplete. However, with each repeat listen, I liked it more and more. Now I absolutely am in love with it! It's definitely an album that needs to be experienced on headphones or a good sound system. Only then do you notice all the layers and subtleties, and realize just how incredible the production is. Michael Cretu (the man behind Enigma) has utilized so many cutting edge sounds and effects to create a stunning voyage through space and the night sky. There are fewer vocals than previous albums, which is quite a contrast to Voyageur, the most pop-influenced album. This one plays out more like a soundtrack for the mind and soul - more similar to earlier albums. You won't find many standout sing-along songs, but if you love that mysterious Enigma atmosphere, you should really dig this. I'm not crazy about "Goodbye Milky Way," but the rest is incredible. "Feel Me Heaven" and "Dreaming of Andromeda" are probably my favorites, but most of the tracks are very close behind. I highly recommend giving this album repeated listenings before you pass judgment. It truly is amazing.

51 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Sitting On The Moon With Enigma, September 27, 2006

By 

Alan Caylow (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Posteriori (Audio CD)

The sixth Enigma album, "A Posteriori," is another change in direction for this ambient studio group led by Michael Cretu. Having jettisoned the chanting monks from the previous album, "Voyageur," Cretu this time also omits the services of past singers Ruth-Ann and Andru Donalds, as well as, for the very first time, the sensual vocalising from wife Sandra (although there is a new woman named Louisa Stanley who makes a couple of cameo appearances on the disc, and of course Cretu himself still sings on the occasional song). It may take a few listens to fully appreciate (in my case, the third listen was the charm), but "A Posteriori" ultimately reveals itself as a very entrancing, hypnotic album filled with all the lush, rich ambient textures, sounds and atmospheres of previous Enigma albums. Cretu is still a master studio wizard, and he still weaves an intoxicating tapestry of sound and music. Highlights include the majestic sweep of such tracks as "Dreaming Of Andromeda," "Dancing With Mephisto," "20,000 Miles Over The Sea" and "Sitting On The Moon." And, as usual, Cretu's production work here is fantastic. Like all Enigma albums, "A Posteriori" works best late at night with the lights out, as you can lay back comfortably on your bed and just let the album wash over you. Elaborate and powerful, "A Posteriori" is another excellent offering from Michael Cretu's Enigma.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best Enigma record EVER, December 22, 2006

By 

Devan (Astoria, OR) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Posteriori (Audio CD)

Enigma, A.K.A. Michael Cretu, has finally given us a masterpiece nearly ten years in the making with "A Posteriori". Though I believe it is Enigma's last album, I am excited to say that everything ends the only way it could have started back in 1990: leaving the listener begging for more.

I was probably one of the few, or perhaps many, who was pissed off with 2003's "Voyageur". For starters, not only did it contradict the trademark ingredients of Enigma's style (ethereal movements punctuated by sexual undertones), but came off as an imitation. It had its moments, but when you find yourself juggling two singers in addition to your own, injecting lame lyrics into songs such as "Boum Boum", and letting the vocals dominate the musicianship altogether, you know you're going down hard. I was afraid that Cretu had forgotten what Enigma was all about, but after three long years, he's finally given devoted listeners an album worth meditating to, dancing to, and having sex to all over again.

What I like about "A Posteriori" is that it makes a logical progression from the mess that was "Voyageur" without disregarding everything and starting with a clean slate. There's only a hint of its predecessor in the opening track, which, Thank God, exhibits its roots with a plethora of Enigma staples such as ethnic tongues and the fading horn. After that, buckle up and get ready for an adventure. I never thought I would hear the same Enigma again, but Cretu masterfully creates something familiar and something new at the same time. The vocals are seriously overhauled this time around, so if you liked Andru Donalds and Ruth-Ann Boyle, you won't hear them on this go-around. For those who never liked Michael's singing, I assure you that it's not as bad as the last time. He chimes in here and there to prevent lagging, but he lets the instrumentation do most of the talking. Speaking of talking, did I forget to mention that Sandra drops in after a long absence to grace us with her wonderful voice yet again?? I swear she's been missing since "Enigma 3", but it's such a relief to hear her speak again, if not for just two songs.

In terms of mood, "A Posteriori" has it in spades. It's the first album since "Screen Behind the Mirror" to give me chills by its sheer scope alone. The second track, "Feel Me Heaven", conjures up images of flight and accelerating towards the unknown, and "Dancing With Mephisto" is by far one of the sexiest songs to emerge from Cretu's catalogue in over a decade. I was somewhat let down when I first heard "Hello and Welcome" a couple of months back, but fortunately this album contains a radically different version that moves with the flow instead of spoiling it. And I never thought I would say this, but Cretu puts out his best vocals, not to mention ambient strengths, on display with the closing track, "Goodbye Milky Way". These are just the highlights mind you; the remainder of the songs succeed in unison to plunge the listener into a grand arena of relaxation and primal urges. This album is definitely not to be missed.

When I mentioned that this could very well be Enigma's last album, I was only speculating, but given that the title means retrospection and past experiences, I wouldn't mind if this was Enigma's swansong, because it's a damn fine swansong. Although people don't read these reviews, I hope someone will be convinced by some means to give this one a spin in the future. Le Roi Est Mort, Vive Le Roi!