ENYA

SPECIAL DELUXE RED VELVET BOX, 130 PAGE BOOK BY ROMA

Since the traditional jewel-box release of Amarantine preceded this collector's edition by a year, the primary topic of interest here is the packaging. No surprise--it's first-rate. The key component is the flip-top slipcase, adorned in fine red velvet with embossed gold-foil lettering and a small, cameo-like photo of Lady En in beatific recline. Inside is an illustrated, 148-page hardbound book (in a horizontal format, with satiny ribbon lift) that bears the title of Amarantine's concluding track, "Water Shows the Hidden Heart." It is the work of Roma Ryan, Enya's longtime lyricist, who weaves a fairly confounding Tolkienesque tale. Devoid of dialogue, the story traces the quest of an unnamed wanderer ("one-who-is-looking-for-whom-he-loves") who wistfully journeys from odd-sounding isles to symbolic cities (e.g., the City of Solitude) in search of links to his deceased lover. This is said to be the story behind three tracks on Amarantine sung by Enya in Ryan's invented language of Loxian, a byproduct of Enya's involvement with the 2001 film The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, to which she contributed two songs. Heavy on grand statements and mythic imagery, it may be a story only a hobbit or Loxian ("people who open their hearts to the night") could love. Also included are three lavishly staged "photo cards" with the Queen of Serene swathed in Elizabethan opulence. The disc, containing no musical variations from the original release (i.e., no bonus tracks), is tucked into a sleeve inside the book's back cover. The music offers many gorgeous moments (notably the opening track), though the project's overall slowish pace gives the recording a faint, lingering patina of melancholy. "The River Sings," one of Ryan's Loxian tracks, is a welcome exception, with its commanding Gaelic groove and churning, progressive pulse. Overall, as a gift item, the box's red velvet exterior delivers high visual and tactile impact and, combined with some predictably lovely music, will likely wow most Enya fans. --Terry Wood