Enigma - Sadeness - Part 1

Stock CD 7567-96395-2 has 5 cuts, 4 are Sadeness.
1. Sadeness Part 1 (Violent U.S. Mix) 5:03 listed; 5:05 actual
2. Sadeness Part 1 (Meditation Mix) 3:01 listed; 2:59 actual
3. Sadeness Part 1 (Extended Trance Mix) 5:04 listed; 4:58 actual
4. Sadeness Part 1 (Radio Edit) 4:17 listed; 4:14 actual

Promo CD PRCD-032 Sadeness Part 1 (Radio Edit) 4:17 listed; 4:14 actual

Artist's name is Enigma.

I am always a bit perplexed by the "part I" in the title.

On the album, the original versions are like this:

[track 2:] Principles of Lust: A. Sadeness, B. Find Love, C. Sadeness (Reprise)
[track 3:] Callas Went Away
[track 4:] Mea Culpa

The first two singles released were called "Sadeness part I" and "Mea Culpa part II". But it's not like there's other parts of each song. It's more just like "Sadeness is part 1, and Mea Culpa is part 2".

It would be correct to say "Sadeness" is part 1 of the album's "Principles of Lust" suite. The Radio Edit is almost identical to the album version, just fading out instead of segueing into the next part, and having a slightly different unsegued intro.

But "Mea Culpa" certainly isn't part 2 of anything, unless they mean it's the 2nd of the album's singles. Meanwhile, the third single, "Principles of Lust", has no part number, and it is just "Find Love" under a new name.

OK, I realize it's not supposed to make sense. Apparently, the "part I" / "part II" is just continuing the pseudo-medieval/classical aesthetic. But my brain wants it to have a purpose! I also want to think of the songs as just "Sadeness" and "Mea Culpa".

Anyway, just musing.

Edited by mjb50

Heh. Pretention certainly results in split opinions—you either love it or hate it (Björk comes to mind)—but it sure gets your attention, doesn't it? I mean, despite being heavily based on Soul II Soul's "Keep On Movin'" beats, Enigma had a fresh sound. And it's just pop, not really high art, right?

Well, it was fresh as long as you weren't too familiar with Sandra & Cretu's previous Euro synth-dance-pop work, which I wasn't, at the time.

I did always think the shakuhachi-flute keyboard riffs were a bad choice (it's basically a preset that came with certain Korg digital keyboards), but still, I was excited about "sleaze", ambient house, and Balearic Beat; I thought it was cool that these downtempo vibes from the dance world were making inroads into pop. I was also still a teenager and just excited about anything new and different in pop, no matter how ridiculous ("Bring Me Edelweiss", anyone?).

Two words: Pure Moods.