Enigma: Le Roi Est Mort, Vive Le Roi!

Having previously covered the debut release by the electronica musical project Enigma 'MXMXC A.D' in an article here, the topic of this feature turns to their third commercial release 'Le Roi Est Mort, Vive Le Roi!' which was released in 1996, six years after the highly successful release of 'MCMXC A.D. .' This album built upon the success of its predecessors, quickly garnering critical acclaim alongside commercial success, obtaining platinum status in four territories.

Enigma: Le Roi Est Mort, Vive Le Roi!

As alluded to in the track 'Third Of Its Kind,' this album is considered a child of the first two major Enigma projects, with 'MCMXC A.D.' being the father and 'The Cross Of Changes' the mother. Stylistically this is true also, with similar production techniques common to both albums but greater refinement of some aspects, responsible for a more sophisticated sound.

The album begins with a two minute title-track introduction. At this point in their career, Enigma clearly show great ability to create a highly effective introduction to their work, instantly establishing a context within which the remaining tracks are placed in terms of sound world and greater meaning. Comparing the introduction of this album with 'Hello And Welcome,' the corresponding introduction track on 'MCMXC A.D.,' the more sophisticated and futuristic approach mentioned earlier is clear. With that in mind, Enigma's development of their compositional aesthetic displays great awareness of their previous work, giving their output a remarkable sense of continuity.

Interestingly, tracks including 'Beyond The Invisible' and 'The Roundabout' favour ethnic chants rather than the gregorian chants which were commonplace throughout the musical project's early output. This makes it particularly comparable to 'Ile Aye,' a track from a 2008 Schiller album 'Desire,' reviewed here. The similarity is evidentiary of the great influence Enigma, particularly their 1990's output, possesses upon this field of music still today.

This album marks a turning point for Enigma, with many considering this to be their finest release. It certainly contains some notable material, 'The Roundabout,' 'TNT For The Brain,' 'Why!' and 'Beyond The Invisible' each a highlight of the album. The music on offer presents a highly appealing development of ambient music within a popular music context.

Save on Delicious