Diamonds On The Water

 Dark Sky Island

Alright as promised, this is my review of Enya's latest album, Dark Sky Island! Okay this is not a review, just how I feel about the album. Let me begin by telling you about how I discovered Enya!

So as some of you might now, the first time I discovered Enya was through Pei Tong's Angklung and Kulintang ensemble. I remember the first song I know from her was "Only If" (It was the first song I played with the ensemble). I didn't know who Enya is, I never heard of the song before. So back then I can't even do an internet search heh. I asked my sister to search for Enya's music. I can still remember downloading it from Kazaa, which was the 90s music downloader heh.

And then I went to HMV with my sister and we bought her album. The first album I bought was "Paint The Sky With Stars", which I'm thankful of buying first because it introduced me to a lot of her great music. There was Orinoco Flow, Caribbean Blue, Only If, Watermark and so on. That album really made me fall in love with her music. And across the years, I saved some money to buy her discography. Which I sadly lost in the middle of 2003 - 2005 either back at home or in Singapore.

From then on, Enya has become one of my favourite singers and artists. And my favourite new age artist ever. I followed her discography since then. From Amarantine in 2005, then And Winter Came in 2008. And then... She went for a hiatus with no news of any new album. Until in October when I saw her changed her Facebook's cover photo and I was just so happy! Pre-ordered the album, and waited for an extra 2 weeks after its release to receive it here and give a full listen. It's an amazing album.

Across seven years, I am glad that I'm still "listening to Enya" in this album. Dark Sky Island still has a lot of Enya's characters and trademarks. Although yes, this is her first album that she released in the age of social media. Where people can criticise her freely and happily through Facebook, YouTube and so on. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I love Dark Sky Island! Every track from it.

I think Enya mentioned somewhere that the album has the feeling of returning home after a long time, or something like that. And yes I definitely feel this! I am glad that the album is released in November because I feel it's such a special and wonderful album to listen to in the year end. Just like her song from her last album, Last Time By Moonlight. I've been listening to her songs from this album ever since it arrived. There really is a special feeling listening to them. At this time of the year.

My favourite tracks from the album are Diamonds On The Water, The Humming, Echoes In Rain, The Loxian Gate and Pale Grass Blue. The album itself is a beautiful album. The instrumentation, the layering of voices and the lyrics really blend in very well. And I feel that Enya music are timeless. Like you can listen to her songs 50 years later and still sound amazing. Because she has been pretty consistent with her music all these years. Not something many people do nowadays.

I mean a bit of experimentation is never wrong. But neither is being consistent eh.

Alright I guess that's all from me now. I recommend you getting a copy of Dark Sky Island. It's a wonderful album to listen to at the year end! See you soon, with Adele's review next :D