Yaima – Our Game
Wisdom finds all sorts of ways to trickle through society. Albeit soothing and dreamy, this song’s slow rhythm is full of intent. The singer’s soft voice is precisely what these words of awakening need to be carried on.
Enigma – Gravity Of Love
From the mysterious whispers to the crashing choirs, from the delicate bells to the shattering strength of the vocal delivery, this is an amazing journey of a song. It’s not only a musical masterpiece, but a lyrical one as well. Few songs manage to convey a mystical experience as well as this one.
It comes with a pretty daring video too. In this day and age, such images can easily be called sexually objectifying (towards women), but given that this is almost 20 years ago, I choose to value it for its challenging, somewhat anti-Christian symbolism. To be clear, I am not against any religion, but I do consider that challenging established norms can result in constructive intellectual experiences.
Terry Oldfield – Be Still
This is calm, transliterated into sound. In just a few words, the song delivers a message that is more meaningful than entire libraries of human imagination. Mystic choirs lay upon gentle percussion while chasing the playful song of Terry Oldfield’s magical flute.
Terry Oldfield – Pilgrimage
Combining deep, solemn male choirs with mystic percussion does indeed translate into a musical pilgrimage. This is a very relaxing song, best listened with eyes closed. The melody goes through several transformations, but keeps to an overall oriental feel.
Delerium – Heaven’s Earth (feat. Kristy Thirsk)
From the very first minute of this song we are greeted by an impressive array of instruments and motifs. The mélange of electronica, choirs and acoustic instruments continues to mature well into the second minute. Only then is the melody truly taking off as Kristy’s voice blossoms.
The acoustic and vocal part of the song is transported into the future by means of shiny, spotless electronic beats. Evocative choirs join Kristy as she sings her way towards the ecstatic end.
This is a journey of surprising diversity and intensity. Eyes-closed listening is highly recommended.
Delerium – Sky (Tears From Heaven) (feat. Kristy Thirsk)
A gentle beginning leads the listener to a menacing bass line. But bear with it and be lead to a moment when the song metamorphoses into one of the most beautiful harmonies I’ve ever heard. Kristy truly shines as a singer, following the dualistic construction of the melody to perfection. At times she feels hopeless and depressed, only to arise to ecstasy a minute later.
The lyrics are wonderful, the music is sublime. I am happy to have lived a life that has led me to appreciate Delerium’s art to its full potential. Songs like this remind me that often, happiness is measured in tears. May we all be forgiven and may we all forgive.
Enya – Orinoco Flow
There are very few songs of which you can say “oldie but Goldie” with as much satisfaction. This beautiful musical poem was released at the end of the 80s and topped the charts in more than a few countries. True to its name, the melody flows like few others. With its excellent production values and clever use of reverb, this song was way ahead of its time – and this makes it as actual today as it was 30 years ago.
Surprisingly, the same can be said about the video, which uses simple graphical techniques that look beautiful even in the 21st century. Good job Enya & crew!
Delerium – Flowers Become Screens
At the crossroads between old and new, wonders can happen. This song showcases Delerium’s transformation from an interesting electronic music act into a new age wonder that fuses dance music with stellar vocal performances and surreal lyrics.
From the very beginning, whispers and choirs ease the listener into a mystic mood. And then, seemingly out of nowhere, the drum machine kicks in and the body wants to join the dance. Groovy and mysterious, hopeful and solemn, this melody has a flow like few others. It is the perfect opener for “Semantic Spaces”, one of the best Delerium albums (and one of my all-time favorites).
Om Unit – The Silence (feat. Jinadu)
Every now and then, a song manages to evoke the feeling and wonder of falling in love. The melody’s powerful lyrics are accompanied by a beautiful composition and carried by a passionate voice. Such art makes me happy that I have been given the opportunity to experience all… THIS.
Delerium – Silence (feat. Sarah McLachlan)
Let yourself soar through a heavenly landscape of sound. You’ll find that Sarah’s moving voice has the perfect companion in the beautifully orchestrated instrumental ladder towards perfection.
This melody was famous almost a decade ago due to a remix by Tiesto, which, in my opinion, completely ruined the sacred feeling of this amazingly powerful song.
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