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Archive-name: music/enya-like
Posting-Frequency: monthly Last-modified: September 2003 See reader questions & answers on this topic! - Help others by sharing your knowledge ********************************************************************** Last updates: * Added ELYSIA * Updated the notices of MAIRE BRENNAN, AOIFE NI FHEARRAIGH and RUA ********************************************************************** The latest version of this document is available via: World Wide Web (HTML file): http://www.faqs.org/faqs/music/enya-like Anonymous FTP: rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/news.answers/music/enya-like/ E-Mail: Send a message to: mail-server@rtfm.mit.edu with no subject and the following line in the body: send usenet/news.answers/music/enya-like ********************************************************************** This FAQ answers a single question: Are there artists similar to Enya? It is based mainly on messages posted to alt.music.enya or the Enya mailing list, with the supplementary information that I have received by e-mail, or found on web sites. Many thanks to all contributors. Comments, critics and suggestions are always welcome. ********************************************************************** The FAQ has its own mailing list. Each subscriber will receive the FAQ by e-mail at the beginning of each month, without having to wait for its appearance on the newsgroups. In addition, the mailing list provides a forum for discussing the topics of the FAQ, suggesting new bands, etc. To subscribe, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/enyalike and fill in the subscription form. ********************************************************************** This FAQ is part of the Enya Web Ring: http://www.geocities.com/enyaring ********************************************************************** 2002 ---- 2002 is comprised of Pamela and Randy Copus. They have recorded 6 albums and a recent compilation, 'The Sacred Well'. Their music, which includes lyrics in Sanskrit, Spanish, Latin or Japanese, is quite reminiscent of Enya's, for instance on the track 'Stella Maris' Official web site: http://www.2002music.com/index2.htm ADIEMUS ------- Adiemus is comprised by Karl Jenkins and vocalist Miriam Stockley. Their music features a combination of classical compositions (performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra), added percussions, and 'ethnic'-type incantations (no lyrics). They have released four albums: 'Songs of Sanctuary', 'Cantata Mundi', 'Dances of Time', and the recent 'The Eternal Knot'. The last one has a more 'celtic' style and was indeed used in a remake of the TV series 'The Celts', for which Enya composed her first album! Outside this collaborative work, the various artists have also released their own recordings, such as Karl Jenkins' 'Imagined Oceans' (inspired by the names of 'seas' given by ancient astronomers to the craters of the moon), 'Dewi Sant' (inspired by St David's last sermons) and 'The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace' (in honor of the victims of Kosovo). Also, Miriam Stockley has released two solo albums: 'Miriam' and the recent 'Second Nature'. "Despite Adiemus' use of invented language with African, Latin, and Eastern European flavors, the vocal styles of lead singer Miriam Stockley and backup singer Mary Carewe, combined with the artful compositions by Karl Jenkins, continues to remind me foremost of Enya. 'Cantata Mundi' is more complex, varied, and innovative than 'Songs of Sanctuary', with woodwinds, horns, and new percussion added to the London Philharmonic instrumentation. It consists of 7 long 'Cantus' pieces and 7 shorter 'Chorales' and runs about 66 minutes." [JB] "Adiemus III : 'Dances of time' is performed by the Adiemus singers with Miriam in lead vocals and six Finnish girls Annamari Kahara, Mervi Hiltunen, Sade Rissanen, Mia Simanainen, Riikka Vayrynen and Nina Tapio in choruses. It features also Pamela Thorby with different recorders and London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Karl. The album contains 13 pieces (different dances or songs related to dance) and they represent the history of dancing. This album has gone more ethnic and the only ethereal song in my opinion is Zarabanda track 10. Anyway the album is a masterpiece. Karl is genious in orchestrating (watch for French horns!) and the Finnish singers do a very good job." [VL] The 'official' sites of Karl Jenkins, Miriam Stockley and Mary Carewe are: http://www.karljenkins.com http://www.miriam.co.uk http://www.marycarewe.com The 'unofficial' Adiemus web site is located at: http://www.adiemus.f2s.com/ AMETHYSTIUM ----------- Amethystium is a musical project conducted by the Norwegian composer Oystein Ramfjord. They have released two albums, 'Odonata' and the recent 'Aphelion'. The official web site is: http://www.amethystium.com/ The music can also be heard on the MP3 Internet radio: http://mp3.amethystium.com/ ANAEL ----- Anael is a Canadian singer who has released four albums: 'Light of Refinement', 'Unconditional' and 'Language of the Soul' and 'Spiritual Be "The compositions of Bradfield manage to provide a medium in which the vocals of Anael can work their magic; growing, teaching, and transcending musical plains. Although this cd will sit well in the collections of lovers of Marcome and perhaps Enya it is a singularly beautiful and mesmerizing album that occupies a genre all of its own." [GL] "A bit more new-age in arrangement than Enya, the music is still quite good." [JB] See the web site at: http://www.anael.net A very complete interview, with album reviews and links to soundclips may be found at: http://www.musicaldiscoveries.com/reviews/anael.htm ANUNA ----- This Irish choral group, directed by Michael McGlynn, has released several albums. The last one, entitled 'Cynara', includes a coverage of the 19th century standard 'Marble Halls' (from the opera 'The Bohemian Girl' by the Irish composer William Balfe), which Enya has interpreted on her CD 'Shepherd Moons'. As with Enya, their repertoire includes songs in English, Latin, and Irish Gaelic. Most songs are of traditional and/or religious origin. The song 'Wind on Sea' (on the album 'Invocation'), based partly on a poem attributed to the mythic bard Amergin, is an excellent companion to Enya's 'La Sonadora'. Anuna is now preparing new music for the film documentary 'The Work of Angels', which deals with the history and background of the Book of Kells, a superbly illuminated Irish manuscript of the middle ages. They have also participated in the musical show 'Riverdance'. The first Anuna album (1993) has been re-recorded under the title 'Anuna 2002' with several new pieces including some from 'The Work of Angels'. The official Anuna web site is located at: http://www.anuna.ie A new CD entitled 'Winter Songs' as been released in November 2002. More information and soundclips may be found at: http://www.anuna.ie/recordings/WinterSongs/index.html BEAL, JEFF & JOAN ----------------- Jeff Beal is a multi-talented keyboardist, trumpetist, and composer. He has recorded several albums. Jeff's wife, Joan, is an operatically trained singer. 'The Gathering' was their first full collaboration. "Jeff departs from his jazz roots to create a more new age-style album with vocals by wife Joan." [JB] Official site (with lots of MP3's available): http://www.jeffbeal.com/index.html BEAUTIFUL WORLD --------------- Beautiful World is produced by Phil Sawyer. They have released two albums: 'In existence' and 'Forever', which features the participation of Miriam Stockley and Mary Carewe, the two singers of Adiemus. Phil Sawyer begun as a guitarist in bands like the Spencer Davis Group and Shotgun Express, where he met Mick Fleetwood and Peter Green, who later founded Fleetwood Mac. "Lots of world music influences. The sequel, 'Beautiful World: Forever' continues in the same vein (check out Miriam Stockley's beautiful vocal on the track 'Africa')."[JB] See the web page at: http://www.london-sire.com/discovery/artists/beaworld/ BELSHAMA -------- Listeners of Adiemus, Beautiful World or Dead Can Dance will surely enjoy this Breton band whose debut album (self-titled) has just been released on the independent label 'Cire Jaune'. Their music is a blend of 'Gothic', Celtic, African and Jazz influences, with lyrics sung in Breton by the lead singer, Bleunwenn Mevel. The CD can be ordered from: http://www.fnac.com Web page (in French): http://edoll.free.fr/belshama.html BRENNAN, BRIDIN --------------- Bridin Brennan is the third of the Brennan sisters to enter a solo career although she has already contributed vocals to Clannad and Maire's albums. Her debut single, 'Hang On', has just been released in Ireland and should be followed by an album this year. It is of a more 'pop' style than Enya or Maire's music. The official web site is located at: http://www.bridinbrennan.com BRENNAN, MAIRE (MOYA) --------------------- Maire Brennan is Enya's older sister. In addition to her work with the family band Clannad, she has released 4 solo albums: 'Maire', 'Misty Eyed Adventures', 'Perfect Time', and 'Whisper To The Wild Water'. A new album entitled 'Two Horizons' is scheduled for September. Maire also appears on albums by artists as different as Aoife Ni Fhearraigh ('Aoife'), Iona ('Journey into the morn'), Joe Jackson ('Night Music'), Robert Plant ('Fate of Nations'), or Alan Parson Project's 'The Time Machine'. Maire Brennan has recently published an autobiography ('The Other Side Of The Rainbow', Hodder & Stoughton 2000, ISBN 0 340 75612 8) "Although I liked 'Maire', I have to say that 'Misty Eyed Adventures' is definitely my favourite. The greatest strength of this album, I feel, is its variety of styles in the songs. The songs range from traditional folk (such as 'Eirigh Suas a Stoirin'), to 'pop' (including a cover of Joni Mitchell's 'Big Yellow Taxi') to almost country ('Dream On'- though this is my least favourite song of the album.) Like Enya's music, both English and Gaelic songs are sung. And as well as on the album 'Maire', this album also features the other three Brennan daughters- Olive, Dee, and Bridin, as backup singers; proof enough that Maire and Eithne did not inherit all the musical talent!"[DS] "In her third solo album ['Perfect Time'] after guesting on Iona's 'Journey Into The Morn', Maire Brennan turns to Christian themes with a unique vocal style and an overall sound reminiscent of both Clannad's most recent albums and her prior two solo albums. Gone is the pop sound heard on 'Misty Eyed Adventures'; again assisted by sister Dee, the album has absolutely stunning multi-layered vocals in spots, progressive use of traditional irish instruments and lyrics that alternate track to track between Gaelic and English. Slighly more upbeat than an album of melancholy tunes, the sound is reminiscent of Enya's in the overall Irish themes, multi-tracked vocals, and the tremendous similarity of Maire's voice to Enya's when singing this kind of music. Each song seems to have a texture of its own ranging from almost-solo ballads to choir-sounding anthems. The album is equally strong instrumentally with a couple of instrumentals adding to the modern interpretation of what might otherwise be considered traditional Irish/Celtic music." [RE] Maire's 'official' web site is located at: http://www.moyabrennan.com BRIGHTMAN, SARAH ---------------- "Sarah Brightman, best known as the former wife of Andrew Lloyd Webber and the original 'Christine Daae' in the London production of 'Phantom of the Opera', has also released a number of albums. Though most of these have been classical, 1993's 'Dive' was more of a 'pop' album. 'Dive' is for the most part based on the theme of water (sound familiar?) Actually, the songs range in style from 'jazz' to 'pop', but a few were quite "ambient" and thus Enya-like, including the main single, 'Captain Nemo'. Other songs, including 'La Mer', almost sound like Enigma. Overall, a good album and a good show-case of Brightman's voice." [DS] A CD entitled 'Timeless' (1997) was made with the London Symphony Orchestra and included the hit single 'Time to say goodbye', which Sarah made together with Andrea Bocelli. Her latest CD, 'La Luna', has been released recently. "Other albums 'Fly', 'Trees They Grow So High', & 'Eden', have pop elements not in her classical albums. Indeed, 'Eden' in my opinion has more "Enya-like" tracks than does 'Dive'. [DH] The official site: http://www.sarah-brightman.com/ There is also an unofficial web page for Sarah Brightman at: http://www.xs4all.nl/~josvg/cits/sarahbr.html CANTAMUS -------- Listeners of Anuna or Secret Garden should be interested in this British choral group. Their repertoire is very wide and includes many songs from Renaissance music to 'pop' with some traditional Irish or Scottish pieces. They have released four albums. The last one, entitled 'Aurora' is rather 'new-age' with yet some Celtic flavor. Official site: http://freespace.virgin.net/marek.kuczynski/cantamus/ CLANNAD ------- Clannad is Enya's family band. Before starting her solo career she has toured with them and participated in two of their albums, 'Crann Ull' and 'Fuaim'. Clannad has released about 20 albums, featuring songs in English or Irish Gaelic. The last one, 'Landmarks', has been released in 1998. A complete list of their songs, together with some lyrics and translations, can be found on John Whatmough's page: http://www.clannad.net Paul Brennan, who left the band in 1989, has collaborated with two Japanese musicians to produce the album 'Trisan', which has been described as a hybrid between Japanese and Celtic music styles. See also Harry Sarkas' Unofficial Clannad News Page: http://www.clannad.org COCTEAU TWINS ------------- "If you expect Enya's tranquility you won't find it here, but there is some common roots in the multi-layered vocals and dreamlike atmosphere in most songs. It can be described as music Enya would do if she were on something (and I do not mean a ladder, thank you). I heard their 'Treasure' and 'Victorialand' albums, and them both are very good. Also I heard the track 'Alice' on 'stealing beauty' soundtrack, which was also good." [SB] Cocteau Twins' singer Elizabeth Fraser performed the song 'Lament for Gandalf' on the soundtrack of the 'Lord of the Rings' movie. The official web site is located at: http://www.cocteautwins.com/ CRUISE, JULEE ------------- Julee Cruise is most famous for being the singer in David Lynch movies and especially Twin Peaks. "The similarity of Cruise to Enya is in the voice and the sense-of- life of their music; Cruise has the same ethereal, airborne quality in her music on the album 'Floating into the Night' (dated 1989, on the Warner Brother label in Canada). The track that has received the most airplay in Toronto is 'Falling' from this same album, and that is the one that I find most striking." [JM] See the web page: http://www.davidlynch.de/jcrel.html DADAWA ------ "She's Chinese and she performs Tibetan music (with lots of high-tech injected). She's being compared as the Asian Enya (but that is debatable!)." [MM] Dadawa has released two albums: 'Sister Drum' and 'Voices from the Sky'. For more information, see: http://www.geocities.com/Vienna/Opera/3983/topdadawa.html DEAD CAN DANCE -------------- Dead Can Dance was comprised of Lisa Gerrard and Brendan Perry. Now they have parted and each one pursues a solo career. "It doesn't have the smooth, new-age sound of Enya, but it is similar in that it has great diversity, and a high proportion of instrumentals, along with several incantation-sounding tracks." [PS] Lisa Gerrard has worked with the Breton singer Denez Prigent for his latest album, 'Irvi'. She has also composed the music of the movie 'Gladiator'. More information can be found at her web site: http://www.lisagerrard.com DOUGLAS, BILL ------------- Bill Douglas is a Canadian composer who was trained in classical music and jazz and received influences from African, Indian, and Brazilian music. He has recorded several albums for the Hearts of Space label. The last three have featured the Ars Nova Singers conducted by Thomas Morgan. The vocal contribution of these artists brings the music an Enya-esque quality. Official web site: http://www.billdouglas.cc/ Ars Nova Singers: http://www.arsnovasingers.org DOVER, CONNIE ------------- Connie Dover lives near Kansas City, Missouri, and has released four albums: Somebody [1991] The Wishing Well [1994] If Ever I Return [1997] The Border of Heaven [2000] "Connie is similar in character to Enya, in that she only has four albums out in about the same amount of time that Enya has four albums. Another similarity is that she sings in English, Gaelic, Latin, and French. She tours in the West/Mid-west of the US, and when not touring does a lot of research on the songs used in her albums. Many of the songs are quite old and little known. About one third of the songs are original compositions, including a few instrumentals. A few of her songs have lyrics adopted from poetry (ref. Roma Ryan). She does some overdubbing, but mainly in the manner of 3 or 4 part harmony, which is not quite the way Enya does it. She mainly sings Scottish and Irish music along with some American Folk Songs that have Scottish or Irish roots. One of her very beautiful songs, Cantus, combines a Latin carol with a new melody and uses lyrics sung in English, Gaelic, and Latin. Ubi Caritas is a Gregorian Chant set to new music in a very beautiful stylized manner. Not all of her songs are ballads or laments. Some are quite lively, which makes each album very balanced." [BB] There is an official Connie Dover home page at: http://www.conniedover.com ELYSIA ------ The Elysia album 'Spirit Of The Sun' (Edel Records, 2001) features vocal contributions by Freud's singer Cora O'Donovan. "The track Elysium is a very Enya-ish track and much like the tracks on Time Passengers". [AB] The album may be ordered from the German branch of amazon.com: http://www.amazon.de/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00004RINH F.R.E.U.D. ---------- "In their debut album 'Time Passengers', the Irish/German collaboration of Cora Donovan (vocals), Ingo Hauss (composition and keyboards) and Hayo Panarinfo (lyrics and percussion) create new age, vocally-laced melodies, reminiscent of Enya's sound. The album contains eleven intricate tracks ranging from the highly melodic and accessible 'Worlds Of Wonder', 'Fairyland' and choral 'Sleep' to the instrumentally strong 'Rain Temple' and 'Minuit'. Cora Donovan's vocals are equally superb when singing solo, multi-tracked or when supported by the guest artist choir. Released on the American Earthtone label, the more accessible and melodic tracks are most Enya-like, while the instrumentals show the group's diversity to create dance, trance, industrial and relaxation textures. This is a wonderful album that Enya-related artist readers will surely enjoy." [RE] For a full review, see: http://www.musicaldiscoveries.com/reviews/freud.htm Earthtone web site: http://www.earthtone.com GREAN, LORIN ------------ "Grean's compositions mix Celtic themes with recorder, African percussion and Native American flutes in a enjoyable blend that hints at a world-chamber music sound. The compositions are entirely original creations by Grean, except for the haunting 'Sailing the Skies', which she wrote with Kenny Loggins, 'Sage People' and 'In Pursuit' are also co-written. Other tracks that particularly stand out for me include 'Starlight Journey', a 12 minute piece that actually has four distinct songs woven through it, seamlessly joined in a tapestry of angelic harp and voice, sensuous percussion and most of the instruments listed above; the title track, a 14 minute piece with four more songs inside; and 'The Bengal's Secret', which offers a taste of India" [GL] Official site: http://www.silcom.com/~lgrean HARDIMAN, RONAN --------------- The Irish composer Ronan Hardiman has released two albums, 'Celtic Classics' I and II, under the pseudonym of Shanon, and a third one, 'Solas', under his real name. He has also composed the soundtrack of the musical show 'Lord of the Dance'. 'Celtic Classics' "is a collection of haunting tunes that are catchy, melodic and highly emotive. The sound is reminiscent of a subtler side of Enigma with a Celtic tinge minus the Gregorian chants. The subtitle is called 'An Enchanted Journey' and the word 'enchanting' describes this music perfectly. Shanon is the performance name of Ronan Hardiman, an Ireland composer. He combines state-of-the-art instrumentation with traditional compositions and arrangements to produce a rich Celtic sound (ala Enya and Clannad). This is the ideal music to relax to, and 'provides the images and magic of an ageless music, which comes to us through the mists of time'." [RS] "This outstanding full-length 11-track CD ['Solas'] builds naturally upon Hardiman's innovative compositions in 'Lord Of The Dance' in one dimension and his two 'Celtic Classics' albums recorded under the pen name Shanon in another. 'Solas' has the dreamy soundscapes, Irish dance orientation, rhythms and modern influences of 'Lord Of The Dance' but it has combined these with the vocals similar to the two Shanon releases. The music is highly accessible and easy to listen to; some might even consider it a pop / rock-oriented folk release. 'Solas' couples upbeat, progressive -- at times dance-oriented -- tempos with multilayered vocals provided primarily by Irish vocalist Leslie Dowdall. Additional vocals are provided by Emmy and Edward Lator. The album departs from Enya's traditional melancholy sound in a positive way with stunning upbeat and melodic vocals, Celtic familiarities and outstanding keyboard-led instrumentals. Clearly this is an album for people that go for progressive Celtic music with stunning female vocals and upbeat tempos. The vocals are extremely well done and most reminiscent of Enya's sound in the track 'Take Me With You.'" [RE] The official web site is located at: http://www.ronanhardiman.com/ HASLAM, ANNIE ------------- Annie Haslam was the lead singer of a mythic band of the 70's named Renaissance. Their music featured an elaborate combination of rock, jazz, and classical styles, and they often played with a classical orchestra. Although apparently devoid of celtic influences, some of their songs are very Enya-like, particularly on the album 'Scheherazade and other stories' (1975), which may be considered as their best album. A new Renaissance CD entitled 'Tuscany' has been released in Japan in October 2000. Apart from this, Annie Haslam continues her career with other musicians. She has recorded several solo albums. The last one, entitled 'The Dawn of Ananda', has just been released. Annie Haslam's web page is located at: http://www.annie-haslam.com See also the unofficial Renaissance web page at: http://www.nlightsweb.com/ A musical entitled "Scheherazade", partly based on the 1975 album, has been staged in London. HOPKIN, MARY ------------ "Welsh singer Mary Hopkin (best known for 'Those Were the Days') recorded one song in her native language on 'Postcard', her debut with Apple Records. Y Blodyn Gwyn ('Dainty Snowdrop') was written in the 1930's. Even though Mary recorded it in the late '60s, the technology of the day still did not allow for the sort of elaborate overdubbing that Enya is known for; but her sweet voice and the simple two-part harmony were quite touching, in this writer's opinion." [KM] Visit the Mary Hopkin International Site: http://www.hopkin.is.nl IONA ---- As with Anuna, the repertoire of this band includes many religious songs, often of medieval inspiration ('Iona' is indeed the name of one of the Hebrides islands, where St. Columba founded his monastery in the sixth century). Their music, however, is quite different, being a surprising (but very successful) combination of many styles (Jazz, Rock, New Age, Folk...). Iona has released 5 albums and several compilations. The last album, 'Open Sky', has just been released. The previous album, 'Journey into the Morn', featured Maire Brennan as guest musician. The lyrics are mainly English, with some Irish Gaelic. Unlike Enya and Anuna, they have no Latin songs. Most band members have also released solo albums, such as the recent 'Looking Into Light' by the lead singer, Joanne Hogg. Iona's official web page is located at: http://www.iona.uk.com/ There is also an unofficial web page at: http://www.gospel.it/iona/ See also the Celtic Christian Music Index: http://www.celticchristiantunes.com/ for links to sites related to Iona's themes. JOHN-KROL, LOUISA ----------------- This Australian singer and songwriter has released three albums: 'Argo', 'Alexandria' and the recent 'Ariel'. Several songs are adapted from poems by Blake, Walter de la Mare, Kipling... 'Argo' also features a tribute to Marsilio Ficino, the neo-platonist philosopher from the Italian Renaissance. 'Ariel' alludes to Shakespeare's play The Tempest. She says: "The title of my CD, Argo, refers to the legendary ship of the Argonauts [...] These are the timeless realms of myth, keys to hidden treasure stores, our House of Legend." Soundclips and more information are available on her web page: http://www.louisajohnkrol.com KYRKJEBO, SISSEL ---------------- "Sissel was born on 24 June 1969 in Bergen, Norway. Although she's so young, she has been one of Scandinavia's absolutely best singers since her professional debut in the early 80's. It's worth mentioning that she has sung a duet with Placido Domingo and Charles Aznavour - A Christmas in Vienna (since she is also a very capable opera singer). She now lives in Copenhagen with her husband, a Danish singer/comedian (Eddie Skoller, born in St. Louis, USA) and their daughter. Sissel was the Olympic Anthem performer at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway, and a few tracks from this event is available on one of her albums. In 1997 she was asked by James Horner to perform his music for TITANIC. It is incorrect that Celine Dion sung most of the album; in fact she performed only the end title melody, the rest of the vocals are Sissel's. Her last name is pronounced (approximately) 'shear-shuh-buh'." [PP] Discography: 1986 - Sissel 1987 - Glade Jul (Christmas Album) 1989 - Soria Moria 1992 - Gift of Love 1994 - Innerst I Sjelen (Deep Within My Soul) 2000 - All Good Things She has also appeared in some Chieftains compilations such as 'Tears of Stone' or the recent 'Christmas in Rome'. She has released a new album, 'All Good Things', in November. Quotes: 'I'm not really influenced by Enya, because I've always been singing the way I do long before I ever heard her.' 'Of course Enya's and my own music seem alike - the Vikings were everywhere! That's why Celtic music and Scandinavian music have a lot in common. But my own albums are not that ambient. It's not so mysterious. I have more melodies. My last album was with songs from all over Scandinavia and the Faeroe Islands, and some of the songs were 5,000 years old.' A web site about Sissel has been set up at: http://www.sissel.cc LAMOND, MARY JANE ----------------- Mary Jane Lamond is a singer from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada. Her latest CD 'Gaelic Songs of Cape Breton' was released recently. "The entire album ['Suas e', her second album] is sung in Scottish Gaelic; all 11 songs are traditional arrangements (there are no original compositions, for example). The liner notes give a little description about the origins or thoughts behind each song (similar to the notes in Clannad's 'Fuaim' album.) Besides Mary Jane, and her backing musicians, there are a few other singers as well. One song is sung by an older woman named Margaret (Mairead in Gaelic), who, as far as I could gather, was one of Mary Jane's teachers. The final song includes a very large chorus group, both men and women, and was recorded all in one sitting, so it has a very live and traditional feel to it. Though not exactly like Enya, a few songs make use of a bit of vocal over-dubbing for harmonising, or else harmonising with a back-up singer, and it produces a very interesting sound. (I would say that such over-dubbings are done maybe 5 to 10 times at most, instead of the hundreds of layers that Enya uses.) The second song on the album, 'Seinn O', is easily my favourite and uses the 'harmonising' effect quite well. I would say that this album fits much more under the straight Celtic Folk label, rather than the somewhat more 'country' style of the Rankins. Overall, I think it is a really good album. If you're interested in traditional Celtic Folk music, then I would say it is something to look into. If you're looking for something exactly like Enya, though, I'd be a bit hesitant." [DS] Mary Jane Lamond also has a web-site: http://www.maryjanelamond.com/ LAVELLE, CAROLINE ----------------- "Caroline indeed has a really sensual alto voice. As far as I know she also sang in Vangelis' 1995 album 'Voices'. She participated, as a celloist, in the Afro-Celt Sound System project, in Loreena McKennit's Christmas EP 'A Winter's Garden' and also in the latest Loreena McKennit full-length album 'Book of Secrets'." [FP] "I have Caroline Lavelle's 'Spirit' for almost a year now. I really like it very much. She has a very soft voice and a lot of talent. The similarities to Enya's music are not coincidence. If you read carefully the package, you'll see that Rob Dickins is the executive producer. I don't know how much it affects the music itself, but for me is enough to link both singers." [GM] Caroline Lavelle has just released a new album, 'Brilliant Midnight'. An interview of the artist is available at the Musical Discoveries website: http://www.musicaldiscoveries.com/reviews/clavelle.htm MAC KENNITT, LOREENA -------------------- Loreena McKennitt is a harpist and songwriter born in Manitoba, Canada, but her family is of Irish origin. Although she appears to be one of the artists most often cited in reference to Enya, her music is more traditional and is often inspired by poets such as Shakespeare or Tennyson. She has also incorporated Spanish, Middle Eastern, and North African musical influences into her compositions. Loreena has released 6 albums, the most famous being 'The Visit', 'The Mask and Mirror', and 'The book of secrets'. A compilation entitled 'Live in Paris and Toronto' has just been released. She has also provided music for several films, theatre productions and TV programs. "I find this album ['The book of secrets'] very pleasant. The inspiration is similar to her previous albums though the atmosphere is a little more serene than in 'the mask and mirror'. Once again, the inside notes are a kind of journey diary in which she summarizes her reflections about the origins of her inspiration and culture. These notes are written in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish." [CB] A biography of L. McKennitt has been published: 'Loreena McKennitt: Celtic Quest' by Geoff Hancock (ISBN: 1550822543). The official Loreena McKennitt web site is located at: http://www.quinlanroad.com MAC KEOWN, SUSAN ---------------- "For those of you who are interested in the more trad. side of Clannad's music, I caught an Irish singer, Susan McKeown, live in concert recently in town. She sings many Irish trad. songs as well as many original contemporary folk songs. Her style is very reminiscent of Maire Brennan. In fact, she professed to be a big fan of Clannad, the 'pre-Fuaim days' as she put it. She performed 'A Mhaire Bhruinneall' in her set which appears in her album 'Bushes & Briars', but was inspired from Clannad's recording of the song" [HS] The most recent albums are 'Prophecy' (described as 'acoustic rock songs'), 'Lowlands' (songs from Ireland and Scotland) and 'A Winter Talisman'. There is a web site at: http://house-of-music.com/susan/ MADREDEUS --------- "A Portuguese ensemble with heavenly vocals by the female lead-singer. Especially their release 'O' Espirito da Paz' has some timeless music on it. I love tracks like 'Amargura' and 'Os Senhores da Guerra'. Pure beauty." [DA] The latest album of Madredeus, entitled 'Movimento', has been released recently. There is a web page for Madredeus at: http://madredeus.mind.pt/ingles/default.htm MARCOME ------- The debut album of this Canadian singer and composer is entitled 'Seven Seas'. It uses a combination of English lyrics and wordless language 'onomatopoeia'. "'Seven Seas' contains the gentle, soothing vocal styles that are very reminiscent of Enya's. She has already been labelled the 'Canadian Enya', and I think the label is aptly deserved." [JB] Some audio samples are available on her web page: http://sonicimages.com/marcome MEAV ---- Originating from Dublin, Meav Ni Mhaolchatha worked with Anuna before releasing two solo albums: 'Meav' and the recent 'Silver Sea'. Each album offers a wide variety of songs, ranging from traditional Irish to the more modern Kurt Weill's 'Youkali Tango' with his french lyrics. The CD 'Meav' features a version of 'Marble Halls' which is quite reminiscent of Enya's. More information and soundclips may be found at her website: http://www.meav.com MINOGUE, AINE ------------- Aine Minogue is a harpist and singer from County Tipperary, Ireland, now living in the United States. She has released three albums. The last one, 'Between the worlds', has been released recently. It has 12 tracks: 6 instrumentals, 5 English songs (including 'Across the universe' by Lennon and McCartney), and a Gaelic song. The booklet gives the complete lyrics (the Gaelic lyrics are given with their English translation) and some explanations which place each piece in the context of the celtic culture. The music evokes a combination of traditional, classical and 'new-age' influences. The harp parts are quite (perhaps too much) reminiscent of the Breton musician Alan Stivell. The singer's voice is quite ethereal. It is not clear if it is her natural voice or if she uses some kind of electronic treatment as Enya does. "Aine Minogue is a reknown Irish harpist who also happens to have a very sweet and pure soprano, much in the same vein as Enya and Aoife. Her songs also have that soothing 'Enyaesque' quality." [JB] A web page is available at: http://www.minogue.com/ NI FHEARRAIGH, AOIFE -------------------- Aoife Ni Fhearraigh is an Irish singer from Gaoth Dobhair (Gweedore), the region of County Donegal from which Enya hails. She has studied music with Maire Ui Bhraonain (Enya's mother). Her first recording, entitled 'Loinneog Cheoil', was released as a cassette only and is available only from the singer (see her website for details). It featured 10 tracks, two of them being re-issued on her first CD 'Aoife' which was co-produced by Maire Brennan. These two works were mainly traditional songs in Irish Gaelic, but with more modern Clannad-like arrangements. However, her second CD, 'The turning of the Tide', which was issued recently, offers a covering of many popular English tunes, while still keeping two tracks in Irish. The background vocals on some tracks are quite Enya-like. Aoife also performed the vocal parts on Phil Coulter's album 'Highland Cathedral'. A review of this album is available at: http://www.musicaldiscoveries.com/digest/indigest.htm#PCHC "A beautiful combination of traditional and modern Celtic songs by another Donegal county singer whose voice and style are quite similar." [JB] "The main difference between both recordings is that the first sounds far more traditional than the second and would be more of the taste of the purists of Irish music. The second album looks far more professional and the production of Maire Brennan gives the work an Enya-esque sound which some people would label as new age stuff inappropriate for traditional music but I am sure it will be very much of the taste of Enya fans." [CN] Aoife's official web site is located at: http://www.aoife.ie/ O'LEARY, CAITRIONA ------------------ Caitriona O'Leary is another Donegal singer who specialises in Irish and Early music and has collaborated with bands such that Sequentia or The Harp Consort. In 1998 she has created the band Dulra ('The Elements') with which she has recently released a CD entitled 'Duil - Irish Songs of Love and Nature'. Official web site: http://www.caitrionaoleary.com/ RANKIN FAMILY ------------- This group, originating from Nova Scotia, sings in English and Scottish Gaelic. A compilation entitled 'Collection' has been released recently (Grapevine, GRACD 218). It is an enhanced CD which contains a video presentation of the group. "Some of their music sounds a bit country, but a lot of their music has Celtic flavor and they have a love of harmony. Check out their album 'North Country' and in particular, their song 'Rise Again' off that album. Also, their album 'Fare Thee Well, Love' is worth checking out."[JW] There's a web site for the Rankin Family at: http://www.islandviewcreations.com/rankins RHOADS, ELIZABETH ----------------- 'Unspoken Touch' is the debut album of this singer from Sedona, Arizona. "Elizabeth's beautiful piano compositions and soft vocals are very Enya-like. Ladyslipper Music has this CD. I recommend it highly." [JB] RILEY, PHILIP ------------- "Philip Riley is a New Zealand composer. The CD 'Visions and Voices' contains female chants and vocals that are reminiscent of Adiemus, Elizabeth Rhoads, and Enya." [JB] "The current release [of Philip Riley and the singer Jayne Elleson], 'The Blessing Tree', is a mellifluous blend of Philip Riley's beautiful melodies and Jayne Elleson's exquisite vocals, the subtle folk influences of Irish pipes and whistles and Celtic style that conjures a timeless place of legend and beauty. An album that sings out from the heart." [GL] ROBERTSON, KIM -------------- Kim Robertson is a harpist from Wisconsin. Her repertoire includes Celtic melodies, classical, Renaissance and medieval works, and original compositions. Her work now encompasses 23 album projects including the recently released 'The Spiral Gate'. More information is available on the homepage: http://www.eldalamberon.com/friends/kimrobertson.html A discography with many soundclips is available at: http://www.zendo.com/garden/harp3.html RUA --- Rua is comprised of two Irish artists: Liz Madden (vocals) and Gloria Mulhall (Violin, piano, keyboards and timpani). Their first album (self-titled) features 14 tracks, from which 4 are traditional (including as the famous 'She moved through the fair' and 'Fill a ruin o'). An excellent album whose style is quite reminiscent of Enya's most nostalgic songs. A new CD entitled 'Dream Teller' is scheduled for September. Official website: http://www.ruaworld.com RUSSELL, HEATHER ---------------- Heather Russell is a singer, keyboardist and songwriter from North Carolina. Her first album, entitled 'Just in Time', has been released last year. It features 5 tracks, including a Shakespearian sonnet. Two of them are also present as dance remixes. She uses a slight amount of overdubbing, mainly for harmony. She declares that she would not have the patience to use as many tracks as Enya. She says: "I don't sound exactly like Enya, but I have a strong Celtic influence in my music, and most of my listeners seem to be also big fans of Enya". Soundclips and more information are available on her homepage: http://www.freecloud.com/heather SECRET GARDEN ------------- Secret Garden is a Norwegian band comprised of Rolf Lovland and Fionnuala Sherry. They have released four albums: 'Songs from a Secret Graden', White Stones', 'Dawn of a New Century' and 'Once in a Red Moon'. 'Dawn of a New Century' features contributions by Anuna and Karen Matheson (singer of the Scottish band Capercaillie). "Secretgarden is best known for winning the Eurovision Song Contest in 1995 with "Nocturne". The combination for Fionnuala Sherry's soft violin and Rolf Lovland on the piano makes a beautiful dreamlike music." [HM] Official web site: http://www.secretgarden.no/ SHAPPLIN, EMMA -------------- Emma Shaplin is the pseudonym of the french singer Cristele Jolyton. She has released two albums: 'Carmine meo' (in collaboration with Jean-Patrick Capdevielle) and the recent 'Etterna'. Her music is a mixture of 'pop' and classical themes, with lyrics in Italian. "Emma's vocals are -- in a word -- terrific. She easily covers a vast range of octaves and her vocal power is nothing short of incredible Although it's a travesty to try to make a comparison, the closest to her overall sound is Sarah Brightman in her most recent Timeless album. Although there are elements reminiscent of Sarah Brightman's Fly album in here, it's the similarity to Timeless that we're most comfortable making at this time. However, Emma Shapplin is a better and stronger vocalist than Sarah Brightman. The album style might also be compared to Annie Haslam and Louis Clark's Still Life which put Bett Thatcher's poems to well known classical pieces. Emma's album is more operatic, not in English, and the musical themes are likely less well known to the average listener." [RE] Official web site: http://www.emmashapplin.net/flash.html STADLER, GARY ------------- "He's put out two CDs, but his latest, 'Fairy Nightsongs' with Singh Kaur is eerily reminiscent of Enya and Loreena McKennitt's works. Singh Kaur (whose real name was Laura Hill) passed away shortly after release of this CD. Her voice on such tracks as 'Fairy Ring' (a very Loreena-like piece), 'Fly Away', 'Darkness' (extremely ethereal and moving), 'Laura's Hill' (a combination of both English and Celtic lyrics), and 'A Spark in the Night' are testiment to the absolute clarity and beauty of her voice. This CD was voted among the 10 ten new age CDs of 1998 by the Star Streams poll. It is incredible." [JB] Soundclips, albums and More information available at: http://www.heartmagic.com/index.html STARK, WENDY ------------ "The CD 'Child of Transference' (New World Music NWCD 467) is an extended choral type work. A blend of contemporary rhythms and production. The structure of the songs are influenced by classical music and thematic qualities. The blurb on the cover says: "Wendy's music is impossible to categorise. If you imagine the ethereal sounds of Enigma, the haunting vocals of Enya, coupled with superb, almost classical arrangements, then you will have something close to the complexity of this superb debut album" Like the text of the Adiemus vocals, the verses have been written in phonetic manner, so that they have an almost instrumental sound The idea being to remove the distraction of words and maximise the feelings and emotions using vocal expression alone." [GL] The record company has a website: http://www.newworldmusic.com TALIESIN ORCHESTRA ------------------ The Taliesin Orchestra is best known for his orchestral renditions of Enya's music, which spans 3 albums: 'Orinoco Flow: The Music of Enya', 'Maiden of Mysteries' and the recent 'Thread of Time'. "[Orinoco Flow] contains eleven tracks with titles from all albums, they are as follows; Orinoco Flow, Athair ar Neamh, The Memory of Trees, No Holly for Miss Quinn, Lothlorien, From Where I am, Book of Days, China Roses, Watermark, Bard Dance, and The Celts (the best track on the album). I encourage everyone to go buy this CD, it is to me like a new Enya album with all of our favorites played a little differently." [CA] "[Maiden of Mysteries] sounded in many ways, like they were trying to duplicate Enya's songs using someone elses voice [...] I must say though that it is a very creative album which explores many ways of presenting Enya's music, there are some hits and some misses on this album in my opinion, and in the end after listening to the album a few more times and letting it "grow on me", I give it a 6.5 out of 10 rating. Their first Enya crossover "Orinoco Flow: The Music of Enya" was much better IMHO." [HB] Official web site: http://www.taliesinorchestra.com/index.html WHITE, JENNIFER --------------- Jennifer White is a harpist and storyteller from Ontario, Canada. Her first CD, "Clarsach" (The celtic harp), was released in October 98. It features original compositions, and original arrangements of popular celtic tunes. Her forthcoming CD, "The Silver Branch" is due for release in the autumn of 2001. Soundclips, summaries of stories, and more information are available on her homepage: http://www.knockgrafton.com/contents.html ********************************************************************** OTHER SITES OF INTEREST ----------------------- Russ Elliot's musical discoveries: http://www.musicaldiscoveries.com/index.htm Graham Lubin's celestial voices: http://www.loobie.com/ See also the archives of the Enya mailing list: http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Palladium/4050/enyalist.html ********************************************************************** Compiled by Jean Debord <debord.jean@wanadoo.fr> Contributors: [CA] Chris Atwood <catwoo52@MAINE.MAINE.EDU> [BB] Brian Baranoski <baranosk@umbc.edu> [AB] Alden Bates <aldenbates@yahoo.co.uk> [JB] John Blackburn <blackburn_john@tandem.com> [SB] Shahaf Borenstain <shahaf_b@netvision.net.il> [HB] Shawn Berry <sberry@msn.com> [CB] Cyril Buchet <cybuchet@worldnet.fr> [RE] Russell Elliot <rwelliot@compuserve.com> [VL] Ville Laaksonen <aino.laaksonen@pp.inet.fi> [DH] Dave Hardenbrook <DaveH47@delphi.com> [GL] Graham Lubin <graham@lubin.com> [HM] Henrik Madsen <henrikm@daimi.aau.dk> [GM] Gustavo P. Mantovani <gmantov@dglnet.com.br> [KM] Kevin Martin <brasscannon@bigfoot.com> [JM] Jim May <scrutnzr@inforamp.net> [MM] Mark Mulingbayan <marktom@mnl.sequel.net> [CN] Carmen "Nil Fhios Agam" <anteach@redestb.es> [PP] Peter Pehrson <euhp@get2net.dk> [FP] F. S. L. Poon <h9221897@hkusub.hku.hk> [RS] Ram Samudrala <me@ram.org> [HS] Harry Sarkas <HSarkas@panasonic.atlanta.com> [DS] David Smith <david.smith@utoronto.ca> [PS] Philip Strapp <pstrapp@mnsi.net> [JW] Jim Waters <jwaters@az.com> ********************************************************************** User Contributions: 1 tadalafil 40 ⚠ buy tadalafil us https://elitadalafill.com/ tadalis sx 2 how much alprostadil pellets cost ⚠ ed medications injectable https://alprostadildrugs.com/ alprostadil gel online 3 hydroxchloriquine ⚠ chloroquine https://chloroquineorigin.com/# what is hydroxychloroquine 4 MorrisViext ⚠ Dec 26, 2022 @ 10:22 pm https://hydroxychloroquinex.com/ generic plaquenil online Comment about this article, ask questions, or add new information about this topic:
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