Originally a limited edition three-CD set in 1997, Enya released ‘A Box of Dreams’ that has become a must-have collector’s item among fans. 25 years later, ‘A Box of Dreams’ will receive a long-awaited reissue when it is released on vinyl for the very first time, within a beautifully designed six-disc eco-friendly box set which has been manufactured using 100% recycled board and vinyl. The album will be released on June 23rd and is now available to pre-order HERE.
‘A Box of Dreams’ compiles highlights from the first half of Enya’s storied career, spanning selections from her self-titled debut album (later reissued and expanded as ‘The Celts’) through to the single ‘Only If…’ which had just been released and featured on her first ‘best of’ ‘Paint The Sky With Stars’.
‘A Box of Dreams’ originally featured three thematically arranged discs, each of which is now split between three double-vinyl records:
‘Oceans’ showcases the most uplifting moments from Enya’s rich catalogue of work, starting with the #1 smash and instant classic ‘Orinoco Flow’ and voyaging through other hits (including ‘Anywhere Is’, ‘Book of Days’ and ‘Caribbean Blue’) and fan favourites (such as ‘The Longships’, ‘Ebudae’ and ‘Pax Deorum’).
‘Clouds’ curates a selection of Enya’s most beautifully beguiling instrumentals as well compositions in which her voice provides an ambient texture to the production, including the title tracks from ‘Watermark’, ‘Shepherd Moons’ and ‘The Memory of Trees’.
‘Stars’ features Enya’s wondrously choral and meditative ballads, including the hit single ‘Evening Falls’, the hymnal ‘Athair Ar Neamh’ and the evocative, yet relatively undiscovered ‘Exile’.
In essence, ‘A Box of Dreams’ provides a glimpse into the variety of inspiring compositions created by the triumvirate: Enya, alongside producer Nicky Ryan and lyricist Roma Ryan. Their hallmarks are infused throughout every moment of the collection, weaving together Enya’s elegant vocal majesty alongside innovative, intricately layered production and lyrics which unite the poetic with the philosophical. This box set features new liner notes from Roma and Nicky Ryan, including a series of short poems by Roma Ryan.
In addition, ‘A Box of Dreams’ is also the first Enya release to be pressed using recycled vinyl. The manufacturing process creates a randomly generated, dark-hued marble effect on each disc, which also means that each individual record is utterly unique.
Creating music entirely upon her own terms, Enya nonetheless cemented her status as a cultural phenomenon and as one of the most successful Irish artists of all-time. The statistics speak for themselves: 6.5 billion streams to date; four Grammy Awards; an Ivor Novello; nine UK Top 10 albums; five US Top 10 albums; and an international array of Platinum certifications, including 4 x Platinum in the UK for both ‘Watermark’ and ‘Shepherd Moons’; and 7 x Platinum in the States for ‘A Day Without Rain’.
Enya’s previous studio album, 2015’s ‘Dark Sky Island’, not only continued her remarkable commercial success, but also inspired fresh critical reappraisal that continues to this day, with Pitchfork, The Guardian, NPR, The Times, FACT and The Quietus among those who have highlighted the strength of her back catalogue. Her influence has also extended upon subsequent generations of artists, including Grimes, FKA twigs, Nicki Minaj, Brandy and Weyes Blood. Enya’s music has also been sampled or reconstructed for other charts hits over the years, most notably The Fugees’ ‘Ready Or Not’ and Mario Winans’ ‘I Don’t Wanna Know’ (featuring P-Diddy).
This September will also mark the 35th anniversary of the release of Enya’s breakthrough album ‘Watermark’.
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