In some regard to our current state of life — one of the most-inflictive musical sounds coming via a sensual-philosophical motif from long, long ago, but not-all-that-far away:

During the mid-to-late 1990s. I was first a customer, then worked as a barista, and even at one point managed one of the greatest public business/entity ever, the Black Pearl Coffee House in Pismo Beach, which for awhile was the cultural center of the area.
Also, it was there I first comprehended the incredible taste and flavor of a large range of diverse coffees, from places likewise diverse as Costa Rica or Uganda.
Sadly the business has been closed for a long while, yet in actuality, the sense/feel of the place ended 20 years ago.
Owners changed, the shop location changed, life changed. Although it carried on in a different setting in the early 2000s, the place regulars had affectionately referred to as just ‘The Pearl,’ had ceased to exist by the end of the 90s.

Anyway, during time of ‘The Pearl,’ I was subject to much-diverse music, and a great period for alternative rock, from Pearl Jam to Counting Crows to Collective Soul and the Cranberries, and a good dose of Sarah McLachlan.
‘The Pearl‘ was alternative, with poetry readings (which I took part), and even live musical concerts. The place was small, but with mirrors, it loomed large. And I heard for the first time, the music of “Enigma,” and felt the stimulating effect the sound had on thoughts.
On duty, I listened to Enigma constantly, customers could easily know who was behind the counter when they first heard the music, whatever was wailing on the CD/tape player.
I became addicted to the first album, MCMXC a.D., and especially the song, “Sadeness (Part I).”
And too the song featured in the video above, “,Return to Innocence, ” (read the lyrics here) from the album, “Cross of Changes,” two years later.
Ironically, the last Enigma CD I owned (can’t remember if it was the first or second album) was stolen out of my old BMW in 2002, an act which trumpeted the end of that particular car — a vanity project of a way-bad investment.
The BBC has a good Enigma playlist from a couple of years ago — on occasion nowadays,  I listen to some of those old songs on YouTube. I haven’t paid much attention to their new stuff.

Music from seemingly a more-innocent time, though, there’s really no innocence in which to return..
And here we are today…

(Illustration: Pablo Picasso’s ‘Self Portrait Facing Death‘ (June 30, 1972), was originally found here).