by Dave Sleger
This is contemporary Celtic music à la Enya or Nightnoise, probably produced as some sort of new age healing or relaxation aid, as the nature soundscapes might indicate. Heavy on electric keyboards and layered non-verbal singing, the original pieces written by Enaid & Einalem are supplemented sparingly by traditional instruments; Milwaukee musicians Edward Paloucek and Brett Lipshutz contribute fiddle and whistle/flute respectively, but on an all too infrequent basis. It's when these instruments are neglected that this album suffers from lack of dynamics and melody. That, however, is the nature of Enaid & Einalem's music -- to include just enough traces of "Irish" instrumentation so the label of "Celtic" music won't seem as preposterous.