Customer Reviews

A Posteriori

5 star:		(65)
4 star:		(31)
3 star:		(13)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

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.

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.

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!

Most detractors here seem to lament that there's nothing new in A Posteriori. The assumption being that the lack of novelty in and of itself is reason enough and reason alone to dislike an album. Heck, that may well be the very reason I even consider buying a composer's works -- because I want more of what I like! If you're after something rip-roaringly unusual, pulsating cuts such as "Feel Me Heaven" may highlight why Michael Cretu is known for his vision in music; the sounds are wild, unprecedented. This is clearly a softer, slower, more sublime compilation than, say, Return to Innocence, but Enigma has rather ably weaved together, yet again, the spiritual and the carnal, the ambient and the vocal. I am not sure why many listeners seem to echo the theme of "night music", perhaps because "A Posteriori" means "What comes after"? Or maybe because the sounds would make for an excellent background to a relaxed drive in the night. There aren't a lot of vocals for you to worry about, as your Latin and French are probably as rusty as mine--these could be prayers or amorous songs of devotion. Use your imagination. But if you have ever enjoyed Enigma's trademark music, grab a copy of this. It makes for an excellent accompaniment to, um, several things of beauty.

As an owner of all of Enigma's albums I have seen Michael Cretu's style change over the past 2 albums, so my purchase of "A Posteriori" I expected to see something new from him. I think part of Enigma is the "enigmatic" experience he continues to deliver. For me, this album did take a couple listens to feel the flow and direction Cretu took with this as well as playing it on our surround sound (took advice from other reviewers).

I am a fan of ambient and progressive trance music so I immediately connected with this album. The first 3 tracks are somewhat of a different style for Enigma and more upbeat, but very catchy. The flow from upbeat to "chill" is well masked as the tracks progress. The CD is much more instrumental, but the underlying melodies and layered sounds generated deliver a unique sound. Cretu adds some vocals to stick to the older style of Enigma, but I miss the women's vocals.

Overall, this is probably my 2nd or 3rd favorite Enigma album behind Le Roi Est Mort and a toss up between Voyageur. Give it a listen and it will grow on you! Although the "If it ain't broken, don't fix it" phrase has labeled this album as a disappointment, appreciate Cretu's latest work as a representation of the word Enigma: "a mysterious, puzzling and unexplainable event" and you won't be let down!

Now, Enigma isn't even close to being my favorite band, but they're my favorite band on the backburner. I know that may not sound complimenting, but it really is. Musically, Enigma holds a deeply special place in my heart, because M.C.'s music has always been there for me when I needed it. I can't say that about a lot of bands.

On first-listen, A POSTERIORI sounded like one long repetitive song, and I nearly regretted my purchase. However, and luckily, I gave it a 100% second chance and somehow the album seemed to do a 180. My favorites so far are "Sitting on the Moon" and "Goodbye Milky Way," because they seem to hold up better as songs and are tighter than others. The first-mentioned song harks back to "In the Shadow, in the Light" only this time running a little more melancholic in my opinion, while the latter offers brilliant vocodering and an excellent climax.

In giving this album 4 stars, I am not really comparing it to Cretu's previous work, although I do miss the female vocals and songs as overtly passionate as "Rivers of Belief." Overal I am very satisfied in having bought this album, and four stars just seems right to me. Let's just hope and pray that Cretu continues to make music. We cannot take for granted his latest effort, or try to disregard Voyageur for that matter.

I say this is music. I only write reviews on products I feel strongly about, and this is such a product. I was previously entranced by Enigma's last album, "Voyageur", for its genius, and now a new obsession has emerged: "A Posteriori". Masterpiece. Absolutely. Through its spacey auditory communique, this exuberant album seems to transmit its splendor directly from the heavens with the majority of its tracks. From "Eppur Si Muove" (Galileo's legendary or mythical phrase "And yet it moves") to "The Alchemist", Enigma built this album for the infinite: an homage to our cosmic ambition. The last track, "Goodbye Milky Way", was rather superfluous, in my opinion, as it did not fit the rest of the album: it relied on its lyrics (not something Enigma should do, for it hinders the music).

The albums's highlights:

- "Dreaming Of Andromeda" -Up-beat and dreamy (as the name implies), the two adjectives are rarely seen in correlation with each other, but they could not be more appropriate.

- "Dancing With Mephisto" -Introed with a creepy cult-like chant it transforms into a electronic entity made for a dance around the bon-fire.

- "Message From IO" -Interstellar morse-code put into rythmic bliss.

- "Hello And Welcome" -The energy released throughout the track is amazing. It recalls that of some sci-fi hyper-space adventure.

- "20,000 Miles Over The Sea" -A more appropriate title: "Ladies and Gentlemen, We are now Floating in Space." This is my favourite on the album. By far the most dreaming and spacey, yet simple and elegant. The inital reason for purchasing the CD.

- "The Alchemist" -Rock & Roll... Enigma style... kind of. Difficult to describe, but extraordinary none-the-less. Certainly a different breed of song altogether. I love it.

All in all, Enigma never ceases to amaze. Deer caught in the headlights for this one. And it is grand. If you liked Enigma's previous album: "Voyageur" and are looking for a more upbeat tracks, look no furthur, "A Posteriori" is that voyage. Destination: that great galactic void. Prepare for take off.

Yet another journey from the enigma himself. Like every album, this one is unique and has a mind of it's own with of course the enigmatic flair. I can vividly imagine the celestial images when hearing it, and loving the layered and airy feel I constantly have it on replay. My favorite songs are; Eppur Si Muove, Feel Me Heaven, Dancing With Mephisto, Invisible Love, 20,000 Miles Over the Sea, Sitting on the Moon & Goodbye Milky Way. I gave this album 5 stars because of this man's incredible talent! He deserves it. Enigma has been my favorite since they started, because he gave me something to believe in.

Back in 1994 I discovered the project Enigma and was blown away by the richly layered, exotic and sensual music. When I learned of an impending 6th Enigma album, I was quite excited and a bit wary. After the first four solid albums, Voyageur was a bit of a departure from the earlier Enigma albums, but it was still enjoyble. Waiting for the release of A Posteriori, I wondered if Michael Cretu would go back to the Enigma that I fell in love with or would he go further away from it. After listening to the album twice it is my opinion that he went further away from it. Alone, A Posteriori is a decent album.. a nice "chill out" album, but compared to Enigma's earlier masterpieces, it fails miserably. (my rating is actually 2 1/2 stars) It sounds incomplete, almost as if it's just one layer of music and the other layers are missing. It's pretty much an even tempoed album from start to finish. There is no stand out track. No songs that made me think "wow!" No "Sadeness" or "Eyes Of Truth" or "Push The Limits" I'm sure many of us Enigma fans who fell in love with the project back in MCMXC ad days are longing for that Enigma again.. that flute, the Gregorian chants, the sexy French whispers and that hypnotizing background beat that makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. The best thing about A Posteriori is the very beginning of the album when, for a brief instant, the famous Enigma fanfare passes through, almost reminding us of how fabulous Enigma once was... and still could be. There is no doubt that Micheal Cretu is a talented man. I just wish he would go back to the Enigma that I fell in love with. Change isn't always a good thing. A Posteriori is clearly an example of the old adage "If it isn't broken, don't fix it".

This CD is great, I have listened it many times since I bought it and I don't get tired of the sounds, they're just enchanting. And I would say that Enigma is back again, because the previous CD (Voyeaur) was a little different from the others but it's good though and this one I'd would say that it's Enigma again. All the music is fantastic and my favorite ones are: Message from IO and The Alchemist. I really recommend this soundtrack, it's worthwhile.