Warner Music UK
New Age, 1996
After the celestial odyssey that was The Songs of Distant Earth, Mike “No, Seriously, I Do More Than Tubular Bells” Oldfield returns with Voyager, an album that feels like the musical equivalent of a vacation souvenir: pleasant, scenic, and entirely expected.
Having just reimagined an entire sci-fi soundtrack, Mr Oldfield apparently decided to trade in cosmic wonder for the most 1990s cash grab imaginable: Celtic folk music at the height of the Riverdance craze. Subtle, Mike.
Now, fair play to the man, he doesn’t just do an Enya impersonation. There’s only one Enya, after all, and she lives in a castle guarded by sentient reverb effects. Instead, Mr Oldfield sprinkles his trademark lush arrangements over the usual tin whistles, dramatic strings, and inevitable key changes. His fans will recognize his touch instantly, but newcomers might wonder if they accidentally wandered into the world’s most mystical elevator.
Not to say it’s all bad. Far from it!
The Hero is a jaunty jig that could accompany either a wedding or a funeral, making it the Swiss Army knife of Celtic tunes. Women of Ireland is suitably grand, practically demanding to be played over sweeping drone shots of the Cliffs of Moher.
The Voyager has an expansive, mythical feel, like a soundtrack to a wistful gaze across a misty moor. Meanwhile, She Moves Through the Fair is appropriately haunting, as though it might whisper spooky Gaelic secrets to you in your sleep.
But for all its prettiness, Voyager suffers from an unfortunate case of déjà vu. It’s hard to shake the feeling that you’ve heard this exact music in a spa, a four-star hotel lobby, or as the default ringtone on an old Nokia. It’s not bad, it’s just so safe.
So yes, Mike Oldfield might be slumming it here. Maybe he earned a break after The Songs of Distant Earth. Maybe he wanted to see if he could make a Celtic album without wearing a single cable-knit sweater.
The real worry here is whether this is just him coasting or if that previous album was his last great voyage before the inevitable shark jump. Here’s hoping the next journey is a little more daring!
