THE IRISH QUEEN.

Only in recent years did I wake from my slumber and come to terms with the shame of what I’d been neglecting…the incredible music by the mysterious woman who lives in a castle overlooking the Irish sea named ENYA.

For those thinking TNUC’s headspace is confined to the limitations of heavy metal barbarians, Pizza Hut and motorcycle vampires, you would be wrong…dead wrong.

Of course, during childhood I associated Enya purely with moms. Moms who drove Volvos and watched the Lifetime network. It wasn’t that I had any real dislike for the music or didn’t acknowledge its quality — but when your mother plays it nonstop around the house, as a 12 year old kid it just doesn’t register on any conceivable level. So in a way these songs have been echoing in the back of my head for a very long time but it wasn’t until now that I came full circle with a brand new perspective.

It happened during a late night awakening years ago when her songs popped up on a playlist as I had a pair of headphones on. The dreamy, God-like, haunting melodies washed over me and I was stunned at how brilliant everything about it sounded. Those ancient choral vocals and triumphant synths woke something inside of me and I couldn’t believe I had somehow overlooked this music. It was an interesting feeling to say the least — one part nostalgic, one part something new.

Describing Enya’s music isn’t easy. Nor is labeling it or placing it into a genre, because this is beyond “new age”. These songs are spellbinding, beautiful, otherworldly magic that force me to slow down, daydream and think. There’s elements of Tangerine Dream as well as medieval themes, however she created something that exists entirely outside everything else. The powerful synth landscapes and choral swells are masterfully aligned to create such a unique sound. The sound of Enya.

My advice to every person reading this article is to grab a pair of good headphones and start listening.

The best music exists in its own world, far away from everything else. Enya’s music is exactly that. No comparison is possible and her sound is unmistakable. There is mystique about her that has been one of the most appealing qualities as well, both musically and literally, as she lives in a castle in Ireland which overlooks the ocean. She doesn’t tour and does very minimal press. With over 80 million records sold worldwide, the Irish queen has never been exploited from mainstream media.

This is one of those posts that I’ve thought about writing for a long time but didn’t know how to approach it. The immediate thought is that Enya’s music doesn’t fit in the TNUC wheelhouse but if you open your ears and submerge yourself in this music, it fits more inside this sacred land than you think. Plus, my mom would be proud.

Sail away with 10 of TNUC’s favorite Enya songs: