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Post by Moe on Feb 4, 2019 10:02:41 GMT -5
To get this board started, I will post that there are two tracks tied for first place on my DSI list are: Even in the Shadows and So I Could Find My WayTwo very different tracks but both speak to me. Jump right in here on DSI!
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Post by Riene on Feb 4, 2019 11:15:41 GMT -5
Dark Sky Island is an odd album for me. I like it, but nothing particularly stands out. I've put it on the player right now and will edit with other comments here in a bit.
The Humming. Soothing, The lyrics are a bit simplistic, but that might be deliberate. It does remind me of rocking in a boat on the waves.
So I Could Find My Way. I like the lyrics to this. Very soft and supportive.
Even in the Shadows. OK
The Forge of Angels. Tune and music, no real words. Good background. I am curious what angels forge?
Echoes in the Rain. Bouncy, for Enya. Again, a little light on the lyrics but I enjoy this one. The "hallelujahs" make me go ??
I Could Never Say Goodbye. One of two favorites on this album. Love the lyrics and the wistful sadness of it. The one line has always puzzled me, though--I could never say goodbye to the silence in my eyes. I'd love to ask Roma about it, but not possible, sadly.
Dark Sky Island. I like this one. It's such a neat story song. Love the intro before the lyrics and that deep voice in the middle. The 6/8 time is a nice change.
Sancta Maria. OK. Repetitious. Religious feel, but that's probably from the title.
Astra et Luna. Latin? I'd have to go look at the liner notes again. OK.
The Loxian Gate. The skin drum beat is a nice change, but (unpopular opinion, I'm sure) I'm kind of Loxian-ed out?
Diamonds on the Water. OK
Solace. OK. The vocal shifts are hard for me to sing with, and I like to sing with albums.
Pale Grass Blue. My other favorite song on the album. Feels like a spring day. Love it that is about a butterfly. Fun to sing. I would love a video for this one.
Remember Your Smile. Has an old-fashioned feel to it that I can't quite identify. Maybe the tonal progressions, or slight organ feel in the background?
Overall the album has some roots in the early Enya music: the "drone" sound, the violin-esque zip-zip beat, the layering technique. it feels heavy on the synth to me. I really do miss the use of real instruments. I don't know why I don't play it more often, actually.
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Suvi
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Posts: 3,160
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Post by Suvi on Feb 4, 2019 12:36:32 GMT -5
For me, not the best but not the worst either.
The Humming: A bit repetitive perhaps but would suit well for some kind of a video game!
So I Could Find My Way: When I bought the album, soon afterwards I heard that one of my favourite teachers (didn't teach me though but my sister before retiring) had suddenly passed away. I still can't listen to this track without tears!
Even in the Shadows: No, just no. Way too Beatles-esque and way too pop for my taste. The worst track of the album by far!
The Forge of Angels: Another piece that would suit for a video game!
Echoes in the Rain: Typical Enya, not good but not bad either.
I Could Never Say Goodbye: Another track I still can't listen due to the death of my teacher friend...
Dark Sky Island: Lovely lilting song where Enya's vocal range gets the justice it needs!
Sancta Maria: I like the idea but this is too repetitive for my taste.
Astra et Luna: Okay song...
The Loxian Gate: Love, love, love this! Though for some odd reason it reminds me of the music of Sámi people in Lapland...
Diamonds on the Water: Enya meets James Bond! A nice try but that's as far as it gets...
Solace: Yet another song I can't listen because of the passing of that teacher...
Pale Grass Blue: Gorgeous song, more like this, please!
Remember Your Smile: Love this as well, have always tried to imagine how this would sound like if performed by Clannad instead...
Suvi
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Post by Moe on Feb 4, 2019 14:29:25 GMT -5
Pale Grass Blue. My other favorite song on the album. Feels like a spring day. Love it that is about a butterfly. Fun to sing. I would love a video for this one.I agree, Riene, a video would be delightful for Pale Grass Blue! As others have said, Sancta Maria just doesn't work for me.
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Post by Moe on Feb 4, 2019 14:32:19 GMT -5
So I Could Find My Way: When I bought the album, soon afterwards I heard that one of my favourite teachers (didn't teach me though but my sister before retiring) had suddenly passed away. I still can't listen to this track without tears! Suvi This one makes me think of my late grandmother, and yes, tears come. <3
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Feb 4, 2019 23:04:22 GMT -5
I have to say Even in the Shadows is a favorite. I wish this had been the single release instead of Echoes in Rain. Forge of Angels shows Enya range in a beautiful way. They say when you age your range drops, as it was in my experience. Enya’s lower register is strong in this one.
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Post by Moe on Feb 5, 2019 9:20:57 GMT -5
I have to say Even in the Shadows is a favorite. I wish this had been the single release instead of Echoes in Rain. Forge of Angels shows Enya range in a beautiful way. They say when you age your range drops, as it was in my experience. Enya’s lower register is strong in this one. Yes, that's true: I heard Joan Baez a couple of years ago and her voice is very low compared to what it was originally. Funny, though, I can't sing in any range no matter how I age
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Post by phantas on Feb 6, 2019 11:32:06 GMT -5
Alright, I think most will have realised by now that DSI is my favourite album by Enya - I've loved it from day one and it hasn't changed. The songs and music have casted a spell over me that hasn't ended.
The Humming - An epic track in the vein of The Memory of Trees, but loaning the stellar feel of the Loxian Less than a Pearl. There is a deep, spacial darkness in this song which is very capturing.
So I Could Find My Way - The first ballad of the album and it is very touching and a bit sentimental (in a good way). I'm normally not one to immediately fall for a ballad, but this one is nicely done and not too sappy for Enya. Odd choice for a single tho, IMHO.
Even in the Shadows - awesome, awesome, AWESOME! Poppy Enya with a bit of power behind her and some really good innovative lyrical moments in it for Enya. I've often harped on about Enya's songs being sung too simple, too straight - this one proves how good she is with her voice. Love the sort of masked break-up lyrics too. Just amazing!
The Forge of the Angels - This was the first song to really capture me. The lack of comprehensible lyrics result in an atmospheric setting. Enya uses her voice in new ways here as well, helped no doubt by some effects to make her sound positively MALE during the deeper vocal part. AS for the title - Roma has stated in liner notes somewhere I believe (check Enya.sk for more info) that it is about spaceships called "Angels" that forge on through space, bringing the Loxians to their new home.
Echoes in Rain - The quintessential Enya has returned! This is Enya how we know her, from Orinoco Flow through Anywhere Is and Only If to Wild Child. Boisterous and somehow also sporting a dark power within. Bit of an odd one out on the album in terms of tempo and atmosphere but then again, also not and a necessary break from the mostly atmospheric songs.
I Could Never Say Goodbye - The second ballad and this one is one of my favourites. Love the vocals, love the emotion, love the choral intro (again, male vocals?) it's so gorgeous. I find it very singable as well and it has a lovely lyrical flow. Riene, the line you refer to, shouldn't that be "I could never say goodbye to the sadness in my eyes" ? That is what I hear and it makes a lot of sense to me songwise.
Dark Sky Island - ICNSG is a wonderful intro to this one, the title track. First few times I heard it, I had tears in my eyes during the chorus and to this day it can still do that to me at times. There's so much to enjoy here - latin words reminiscing of Afer Ventus somehow, the oceany ebb and flow in the melody, the references to the moon, the ocean and sailing on it... it's as close to a perfect song as Enya could ever have done.
Sancta Maria - Admittedly, this was, after the release, the song that I wasn't really warming up to instantly, but now I like it. It's not a huge favourite as I feel the lyrics are too simple and repetitive, but as an atmospheric song it works! It invokes images of the rising sun and glowing sunlight to me, and it would work as a closer to the album in a way as it would mean the light of day vanquishing the dark of night once more and bringing us out of dreams etc. It also somehow has a Christmassy feel to it, like a Christmas mass.
Astra et Luna - another one of my favourites! Vying for the place of favourite Enya latin track with me, almost tossling Pax Deorum off its iron throne! Such a well crafted Latin stomper, and it is very infectious. My only but is that it's too short, I would love a better worked out outro.
The Loxian Gates - Honestly, IMHO one of the weaker Loxian songs as for me it doesn't have that same power to invoke images of space and space travel or an otherworldly race of people investigating their nature, the stars, the world around them etc as LTAP or TRS did in the past. However, it's a nice ditty. It reminds me a little too much of Ebudae and such numbers because of its rhythm.
Diamonds on the Water - Frankly, the track I like least on DSI but I've grown to like it enough. It feels a bit too constructed for me and lacks an emotional power to loose oneself in. Despite that tho, an OK track.
bonus tracks:
Solace - GOrgeous ballad. A bit slow but perfectly timed and very strong lyrical content. IMHO this should have been on the album instead of being a bonus.
Pale Grass Blue - cute, reminiscent of Caribbean Blue. A mixture of ADWR meets SM, but it has a repetitiveness that sometimes gets on my wick a bit after prolongued hearing.
Remember Your Smile - My least favourite, it has a distinct Irish feel and it feels weird hearing the accordeon so prominently. At the same time, that's a good thing as well tho, but the song lacks a bit of a cohesional coating compared to the other songs.
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Post by phantas on Feb 6, 2019 11:51:28 GMT -5
btw, I háve played around with the tracklist order and came up with an order that works better for me than the original does: 1. The Humming 2. Even in the Shadows - this works really well as there is a lot of energy in both songs 3. So I Could Find my Way 4. Remember Your Smile 5. Echoes in Rain 6. Pale Grass Blue 7. I COuld Never Say GOodbye 8. Dark Sky Island 9. The Forge of the Angels 10. Astra et Luna 11. Sancta Maria 12. The Loxian Gates 13. Diamonds on the Water 14. Solace or something along these lines... I am currently on my laptop and can't access my music files on a harddrive which is at my parental home (currently staying at my bf's). Also apologies for any spelling stuff, typing on a laptop isn't always so handy
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Post by Riene on Feb 6, 2019 12:28:21 GMT -5
I Could Never Say Goodbye - The second ballad and this one is one of my favourites. Love the vocals, love the emotion, love the choral intro (again, male vocals?) it's so gorgeous. I find it very singable as well and it has a lovely lyrical flow. Riene, the line you refer to, shouldn't that be "I could never say goodbye to the sadness in my eyes" ? That is what I hear and it makes a lot of sense to me songwise. Just looked up the lyrics. it is "sadness" yes, but it still doesn't make sense grammatically. Love the song, but that line bothers me.
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Post by Moe on Feb 6, 2019 16:06:29 GMT -5
To get this board started, I will post that there are two tracks tied for first place on my DSI list are: Even in the Shadows and So I Could Find My WayTwo very different tracks but both speak to me. Jump right in here on DSI! About time to rate each track, and I'll use a scale of 1-5 (the higher the better): The Humming, 4.0 - a very good start to the album, like the lyrics and the tempo, a rather philosophical/circle of life opener, I like that, but not all the "ands" So I Could Find My Way, 5.0 - as I've already mentioned this song really hits me hard because it reminds so much of my late grandmother, even brings tears Even in the Shadows, 4.5 - I just like the poppy-ness of this one, very good lyrics and melody Forge of The Angels - 3.0 - ok, but I am also Loxianed-out (quoting Riene above) Why not use Gaelic?? I miss the Gaelic songs Echoes in Rain - 4.0 - all good except for those "alleluias" which kind of bug me I Could Never Say Goodbye - 4.5 - very good ballad overall, creates a sense of longing Dark Sky Island - 3.5 - the first of 3 songs (a triad imo) with Latin; still a good song overall, rhythm is nice Sancta Maria - 1.0 --Holy Mother, forgive me for skipping this one almost always Astra et Luna - 3.5 - good overall, but not outstanding, interesting Latin lyrics The Loxian Gates - 2.0 -- no more Loxian for me, s.v.p Diamonds on the Water - 3.0 - ok, but somewhat under-developed imo; doesn't end the album with a punch, good thing there are 3 more "bonus" tracks Solace 3.0 - likewise ok, pleasant tune Pale Grass Blue - 4.5 - I like this one very much, lyrics, melody, etc. Suitable for a video Remember Your Smile - 4.0 - a good 'closer" for the album
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Post by Treecat on Feb 26, 2019 12:01:47 GMT -5
1) Dark Sky Island 2) Sancta Maria 3) Even in the Shadows
The title tune is a real standout for me, and SM is a great follow up to it. Even in the Shadows has a crisp pop sound. The other songs are good, but these three are the standouts for me. Overall, DSI doesn't have the 'theme' or concept album feeling to me that, for instance, Watermark has, or TMOT or And Winter Came, where each song contributes to the feeling or mood of the whole. DSI is the most contemporary, pop-oriented album Enya's done--a collection of very fine songs, but each song stands by itself instead of unifying with every other song to create a concept.
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Post by michaelj53 on Feb 26, 2019 19:09:57 GMT -5
1) Dark Sky Island 2) Sancta Maria 3) Even in the Shadows The title tune is a real standout for me, and SM is a great follow up to it. Even in the Shadows has a crisp pop sound. The other songs are good, but these three are the standouts for me. Overall, DSI doesn't have the 'theme' or concept album feeling to me that, for instance, Watermark has, or TMOT or And Winter Came, where each song contributes to the feeling or mood of the whole. DSI is the most contemporary, pop-oriented album Enya's done--a collection of very fine songs, but each song stands by itself instead of unifying with every other song to create a concept. I agree on the song Dark Sky Island. it's near the top of my list of all of her works. Even in the Shadows for me as well, but I would drop Sancta Maria and put Pale Grass Blue in it's place. And overall, I think it is her best CD of all.
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Post by RichardF on Feb 27, 2019 4:40:27 GMT -5
I would list DSI in my top albums. I thought it was the best album since TMOT: odd because it doesn't have any instrumentals, which I tend to favour. It's hard to draw a direct comparison from the album market as things have changed so much, but it reched N0.4 in the UK album charts, the highest ranking since SM.
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dom
Member
Posts: 80
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Post by dom on Feb 27, 2019 6:44:06 GMT -5
Each time Enya releases a new album, that becomes my favourite album. It's been a pattern since The Memory Of Trees. I wonder why?
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