Mystic pop.

09-22-2003, 09:32 PM

I like a kind of music called "mystic pop" - which combines rock/dance beats with classical and world music influences. Some examples include:

Enigma
Enya
Delerium
Lesiëm
Paul Schwarz (albums called Aria / Aria 2 without credit to his name)
Robert Miles (except for his most recent album)
Taleisin Orchestra ("Sacred" album)

Anyone have recommendations of other artists to check out in this genre???

MartinTeller · 09-22-2003, 09:52 PM

Dead Can Dance

Michael Martin · 09-23-2003, 11:41 AM

I can also recommend October Project. A bit more "pop" than "mystic," they're still quite good. Mary Fahl, the lead singer, has an incredible voice, and the music is lush, textured and often dreamlike.

If you like Delerium, you might want to look into Conjure One.

LanceJ · 09-23-2003, 01:33 PM

At the risk of sounding like a dvd-audio schill, DTS Entertainment sells a dvd-audio by Emma Shapplin called Etterna that sounds like what you're looking for. She sings in Italian (but she is French) to music that sounds similar to Enigma. A CD is available too. And the dvd-audio includes a regular PCM stereo track if you don't care about surround music.

Best Buy sells the dvd-audio disc (I saw it there months ago--don't know why the DTS site says it will be available Sept.23).

Etterna at Amazon.com (the CD version, with customer reviews)

Etterna at Amazon.com/France with a few sound clips.

LJ

Sathyan · 09-23-2003, 01:49 PM

Colin,

I also listen to this genre.

IMO, Emma Shapplin's Carmine Meo, which is only available on RBCD, is better than the also-great Etterna (I have the DVD-A).

You may also like Bond's Born, Vanessa-Mae (there is a "Best of" available), and any of the releases by Era (Era 2 is my pick here but The Mass has had SACD release).

Sathyan

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Scott Oliver · 09-24-2003, 01:08 PM

Colin,

You might want to try Nils Petter Molvaer's "Khmer" album.
It is a mix of dance, jazz, and world music plus a really well recorded album by ECM. If you want to give it a listen feel free to come on over.

From Stereophile's R2D4 1999
------------------------------------------------------------
NILS PETTER MOLVAER: Khmer
Nils Petter Molvaer, trumpet, guitar, bass guitar, percussion, samples; Eivind Aarset, guitars, treatments, talk box; Morten Molster, guitar; Roger Ludvigsen, guitar, percussion, dulcimer; Rune Arnesen, drums; Ulf W. Holand, samples; Reidar Skår, sound treatment
ECM 1560 (78118-21560-2, CD). 1997. Manfred Eicher, prod.; Ulf W. Holand, prod., eng. DDD. TT: 42:52 (plus bonus remix CD, 19:56)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I'm a sucker for any ECM recording that attempts to combine fresh aural textures with contemporary jazz/rock/ambient/world composition and excellent musicianship. Khmer is a favorite not only for its sonic breadth (amp-fuse-blowing bass), but for cannily layering iridescent Miles-like trumpet stabs onto an earthy, pulsing electronic core. The sound suffers from digititis at times (ECM discs can often have a bleached, buffed quality), but the point here is to create an evocative landscape not normally possible with an acoustic performance. Great snatches of cranky guitar, plus a bonus CD of remixes."

Ted Lee · 09-24-2003, 08:14 PM

how about deep forest? their first album is truly inspiring, with great beats. i wasn't so gung-ho on their follow-up albums...but even those are worth listening to.

i also second dead can dance. although they typically don't have dance beats, their stuff is awesome. a good sampler that you can get inexpensively now is a passage in time.

conjure one is also a great recommendation. the limited edition (which i have) is nice...it has a couple of great remixes on the second cd.

another band in the vein of dead can dance is this mortal coil. again, not necessarily dance beats, but this is the stuff of awesomeness. deep, dark and ultra-melancholy. i've always said if i'm gonna do myself in...this is probably the band that will accompany me.

09-25-2003, 04:10 PM

Thanks everyone for the suggestions...

Scott - I'll get with you some time next week about listening to your recommendation.

Ted - I already have some Deep Forest. Actually, I need to pull out the "Music.Detected_" CD I bought the other day and listen to it. I actually prefer their later albums to the earlier ones ... to each his own, I guess...

---

I'm probably more after the dark/mysterious/brooding types of this music than a really strong, driving beat. Nerdy guys like me don't dance.

I really like the stuff that falls half-way in between electronic dance music and new age music. From my original list, "Aria/Aria 2," Lesiem, and newer Delerium are examples of what I'm after.

LanceJ · 09-25-2003, 04:58 PM

Colin: try Massive Attack's Mezzazine. That's about as brooding/dark as I personally can deal with (though the lyrics seem pretty "normal"). But their are a couple of songs that are unexpectantly light and airy. And people with subs or large floorstanders: this disc will give them a real workout.

LJ