Spiritual Beings on a Human Journey

by Alex HendersonSome song or album titles have a way of letting you know exactly what type of music to expect. If a title uses terms like "thugged-out gangsta *****," "the chronic," or "bling-bling," chances are you can expect hardcore rap. If a title mentions "Jah Rastafari," "ganja," "rude boys," or "natty dread," reggae is probably on the menu. And when a CD has a title like Spiritual Beings on a Human Journey, the logical assumption is that you're getting new age -- which is exactly what this album is. Anael has often been compared to fellow new age vocalist Enya -- and, to be sure, there are some parallels. Both favor a tranquil, peaceful approach, both are known for spiritual lyrics, and both are female vocalists in a genre that is dominated by instrumentalists. But Enya, for all her tranquility, has more of an edge than Anael -- and Quebec native Anael isn't as Celtic-influenced as Ireland's Enya. Some of Anael's more ardent supporters in the new age press have gone so far as to say that she is a better, stronger vocalist than Enya; this journalist disagrees with that opinion, although Spiritual Beings on a Human Journey points to the fact that Anael is a talented, likable singer in her own right. Although Anael occasionally sings in French and even Hebrew, most of the lyrics are in English; whatever the language, a lush, serene, ethereal atmosphere prevails on these 2001 and 2002 recordings. Anael tends to be predictable; after a few selections, the listener pretty much knows what the rest of this 58-minute CD will sound like. Nonetheless, the atmosphere that she provides is an appealing one, and those who are mainly interested in a tranquil ambience will find this album to be a pleasing, if limited, experience.