Era: Era 1996

 

Era (styled as +eRa+) is a new-age music project by French composer Eric Lévi. Some of the lyrics

were written by Guy Protheroe in an imaginary language similar to Greek or Latin, but deliberately devoid of any exact meaning. Musically, the project blends Gregorian chants with modern elements and genres, especially rock, pop and electronic music.
                                                        

ERA (an acronym for Enminential Rythmn of the Ancestors) is the project of French musician Éric Lévi, whose ethereal, evocative soundscapes began in the tradition of artists like Enigma and Deep Forest. ERA's music generally combines downtempo electronic beats and lush synths with dramatic

Gregorian chanting in a self-designed language similar to Latin and Greek, with no intended meaning, although they have also sung lyrics in Latin, English, and Arabic. The group's self-titled debut originally appeared in 1996 and was re-released several times, topping charts in five countries. ERA began incorporating Middle Eastern influences into their music starting with 2008's Reborn, and focused on reinterpretations of classical compositions on 2009's Classics and its 2010 sequel. Following a 2013 collaboration with singer/actress Arielle Dombasle, ERA revisited some of their older material on 2017's The 7th Sword. The group remained a fixture of popular culture, and following their first-ever live concerts in 2019, they resumed touring in the 2020s.
                                        

Éric Lévi was a member of the French hard rock band Shakin' Street in the 1970s and early '80s, and he became a successful film composer in the early '90s. He worked with British composer, lyricist, vocalist, and arranger Guy Protheroe on the soundtrack for the 1993 comedy blockbuster Les Visiteurs. Protheroe then co-wrote and sang lead on "Ameno," the lead single on ERA's self-titled 1996 debut.

Era’s first album, Era, was released in 1996 and became a worldwide success, helped by its first single, "Ameno". The song and its parent album both became massively successful throughout Europe and Latin America; reissued multiple times with altered track listings, ERA gradually sold over 6 million copies. Following up in 2000 with ERA 2, the project returned in 2003 with The Mass -- whose title track referenced Carl Orff's masterpiece O Fortuna -- and sales subsequently hit platinum status in France and Switzerland. The Very Best of ERA was released in 2004 and featured all the popular tracks from their previous three records as well as several remixes.
                                                        

Most Era songs are sung in an imaginary language inspired by Latin, but with no intended meaning, while others are in actual Latin. They also have some songs in English such as "Mother" and "Looking For Something", and in Arabic, such as "7 Seconds". Era mixes Gregorian chants and occasionally

world music with contemporary electronic and pop-rock arrangements. It is reminiscent of new-age music projects such as Enigma, Gregorian, and Deep Forest. Lyrics are written in Latin and English, and some are based on beliefs of the 13th century French heretics, the Cathars. Era's live shows and music videos often feature artists dressed in medieval or traditional clothes and armour. Usually, actors Pierre Bouisierie and Irene Bustamante perform at Era shows.  
                                        

The Arabic-influenced Reborn appeared in 2008, and like previous albums, it reached the Top Ten on France's album charts. 2009's Classics featured ERA's adaptations of pieces by classical composers like

Verdi, Bach, and Vivaldi. In France, it became their highest-charting album since ERA 2, and the group followed it with Classics II in 2010. ERA collaborated with French-American singer, actress, and director Arielle Dombasle on an album simply titled Arielle Dombasle by ERA. They returned in 2017 with The 7th Sword, which featured both new compositions and reimagined versions of previous material. Its lead single was a cover of "7 Seconds" by Neneh Cherry and Youssou N'Dour, sung by vocalists Mim Grey and Racha Rizk.
                          

ERA's music has remained popular partly due to its frequent usage in films, television shows, and wrestling/mixed martial arts events. "Ameno," in particular, resurged in popularity due to its inclusion in several Internet memes. ERA began performing live concerts for the first time in 2019, with actors

Pierre Bouisierie and Irene Bustamante, who appeared in the videos for "Ameno" and other singles, as part of the cast. Following a break from live events due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ERA resumed touring in 2022. Their first three albums, "ERA", "ERA 2" and "The Mass" have sold over 20 million copies worldwide and reached Nr. 1 in France (90 weeks), Switzerland (77 weeks), Germany (42 weeks), Austria, Sweden (30 weeks), Finland and Norway. Their lead vocalist Lena Jinnegren sang also on the hit single "A Life So Changed" from the Trance duo Soulcry.

MEMBERS

                                                                  

Eric Lévi
Guy Protheroe
Pierre Boisserie
Irene Bustamante
Lena Jinnegren
Eric Geisen
Florence Dedam
Murielle Lefebvre
Chester Thompson
Lee Sklar
Daryl Stuermer
Philippe Manca

Era – Era
Label: Mercury – 534 335-2, Philips – 534 335-2
Format:    CD, Album
Country: France
Released: 1996
Genre: Electronic, Rock
Style: Alternative Rock, Ambient, New Age

TRACKS

                                                        

01. Era    3:16
02. Ameno    4:17
03. Cathar Rhythm  (Lead Vocals – Eric Geisen)  3:17
04. Mother  (Lead Vocals – Florence Dedam)  4:51
05. Avemano    4:17
06. Enae Volare (Mezzo)  (Lead Vocals – Murielle Lefebvre)  4:25
07. Mirror    3:57
08. Ameno (Remix)    3:49
09. Sempire d'Amor    1:50
10. Enae Volare    3:13
11. After Time  (Lead Vocals – Florence Dedam) 3:35
12. Impera    4:37

MP3 @ 320 Size: 104 MB
Flac  Size: 288 MB