The Age of Shadows (2016)

Enigma is a German musical project founded in 1990 by Romanian-German musician and producer Michael Cretu. Cretu had released several solo records, collaborated with various artists, and produced albums for his then wife, German pop singer Sandra, before he conceived the idea of a New Age, Worldbeat project. He recorded the first Enigma studio album, MCMXC a.D. (1990), with contributions from David Fairstein and Frank Peterson. The album remains Enigma's biggest, helped by the international hit single, "Sadeness (Part I)", which sold 12 million units alone. According to Cretu, the inspiration for the creation of the project came from his desire to make a kind of music that did not obey "the old rules and habits" and presented a new form of artistic expression with mystic and experimental components.

The Shadows (originally known as the Drifters) are an English instrumental rock group. They were Cliff Richard's backing band from 1958 to 1968 and on numerous reunion tours, including 2020. The Shadows have had 69 UK chart singles from the 1950s to the 2000s, 35 credited to the Shadows and 34 to Cliff Richard and the Shadows…

Enigma’s complete catalogue is set for a special coloured vinyl makeover. On 4 May, Universal Music will release The Colours Of Enigma – The Vinyl Series: all eight studio albums and the acclaimed hits package LSD Love Sensuality Devotion: The Greatest Hits as strictly limited edition coloured vinyl. Five of these albums will be released for the first time on vinyl: Le Roi Est Mort. Vive Le Roi (1996), The Screen Behind The Mirror (2000), Voyageur (2003), A Posteriori (2006) and Seven Lives Many Faces (2008). Only the debut MCMXC a.D (1990), which spent over 200 weeks in the US Top 200 Billboard charts, 1993’s The Cross Of Changes and the latest album The Fall Of A Rebel Angel (2016) enjoyed releases on wax previously.

Mad Shadows was the second album by Mott the Hoople. It was recorded in 1970 and released in the UK on Island Records in September 1970 (catalogue number ILPS 9119) and in the US by Atlantic Records (cat. no. SD 8272). It was subsequently re-released by Angel Air in 2003 (SJPCD158). As with their debut album, it was produced by Guy Stevens.The original pressing reached No. 48 in the UK Albums Chart in October 1970.

LSD: Love, Sensuality and Devotion gathers over a decade's worth of Enigma's definitive tracks, including the song that started it all, "Sadeness, Pt. 1." "Return to Innocence," "Beyond the Invisible," and "Cross of Changes" are all featured as well, and though the collection ranges from the rock-tinged "I'll Love You…I'll Kill You" to atmospheric, electronic fare like "Shadows in Silence," since it's all essentially Michael Crétu's vision, it flows surprisingly well. Since Enigma's sound has varied fairly drastically over the years, LSD: Love, Sensuality and Devotion is the perfect starting point for anyone curious about Crétu's music, and the only Enigma album that casual fans might need.