The first CD released by
Enigma, a pet project of
Michael Cretu. The credits list him merely as "Curly M.C.", as he attempted to make the album true to the group's name, an Enigma, by not letting people know who had made it. This was not of importance in the
United States, where Cretu was not that well know, but as his name was more well known in
Europe, it was a bigger puzzle.
The album makes heavy use of samples, including plenty of samples of Gregorian Chants.
While a number of singles were released from this album, in the United States the one that received the most notice was Sadeness, which received some significant radio play. Mea Culpa was also released, with a variety of mixes, so there is some passing familiarity with it in the US.
It is interesting to note that at the time of the release of the second Enigma album, The Cross of Changes, MCMXC A.D. was still on the Billboard Top 100 albums chart. The album spent more than four years total on the Top 100 chart before falling off.
I. The Voice of Enigma
II. Principles of Lust
III. Callas Went Away
IV. Mea Culpa
V. The Voice of the Snake
VI. Knocking on Forbidden Doors
VII. Back to the Rivers of Belief