Enya’s seventh studio album, “And Winter Came,” is not so much a holiday album as it is an ambient ode to the season.
Featuring ten original winter/holiday-themed compositions and two traditional Christmas carols, the CD features the “choir of one” production–multi-layered vocals that create the trademark Enya sound–found on such hits as “Orinoco Flow.” Which is a good and a bad thing: the tracks are comforting and familiar Enya fare, but almost Mannheim Steamrollerish in their monotony. And yet, there are some striking departures from the formula that make this album worthy of your holiday CD rotation.

The sparse and haunting “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” sung both in English and Latin perfectly features the singer’s dulcet tones and the revisiting of her smash “Oiche Chiuin” (“Silent Night” sung in Gaeilge) is perfectly atmospheric. But the real treat of the album is an unexpected, up-tempo, Sgt. Pepper’s-esque piece called “My! My! Time Flies!” wherein the Grammy-winning artist really stretches herself musically. Yes, Virginia, those are drums and guitar on an Enya track.