
The flute samples and breathy spoken vocals of MCMXC a.D. On their second album, 1993's Cross of Changes, some of the old-world elements remained, but the new age angle came to the forefront in a set of slick, radio-friendly dance-pop tracks. The samples of Gregorian chants that were employed heavily throughout the album were used without permission, and these uncleared samples eventually led to a lawsuit that was settled out of court.

Several other singles were issued from the album as its unexpectedly lengthy time in the spotlight continued. Powered by excitement for the single, the album was also a multi-platinum success, eventually selling over four million copies in the United States alone and spending the next five years on the Billboard Top 200 chart.

was released in December of that year and lead single "Sadeness (Pt. He recorded the first material for this project over the course of 1990 with creative input from collaborators David Fairstein and Frank Peterson. In 1988, the couple moved to Ibiza, Spain, and Cretu began working out of a home studio on the project that would become Enigma. This began a fascination for Cretu with incorporating the archaic sounds into a more contemporary music format. When working with his wife, German dance-pop artist Sandra, on her 1987 single "Everlasting Love," he'd used some brief samples of Gregorian chant in the song's intro. He had been involved in music for a while at that point, having released several solo albums as well as worked as a producer with other artists. Over the next three decades, Enigma would release upwards of eight albums and collections, many of which spent time in the Billboard charts.Įnigma were formed in 1990 by Bucharest native Michael Cretu. I)," which immediately became an international hit and the calling card for their unique sound. The project arrived with their 1991 single "Sadeness (Pt. A worldbeat dance fixture of the late 20th century and beyond, having sold tens of millions of albums worldwide, Enigma were an instant success with their unlikely combination of new age tones, chilled-out club production, and samples of Gregorian chant.
