RAMBLES - a cultural arts magazine
In the album Celtic Trance, Dagda blends the sound of electronic music with ancient instruments to take hold of the Celtic experience. The result is a melodic, twisting and energetic ride. The group is made of six players: vocals by Dav McNamara, Sharon Murphy and Denise Douglas, whistles by Roddy Monks, and keyboards by Reg Keating and Phillip O'Reilly. Bill Fleming adds his voice to the spoken word pieces within the music. Reminiscent of groups like Enigma and Oracle, Dagda takes us through one melody to another, blurring the tracks into one path. Their poetic lyrics, such as those that explore the mystery behind the warrior goddess Morrigana, are minimal at times -- but they can strike right to the heart of the listener. I particularly like the melding of the wind instruments into the music, giving it a mix of the tones that are reminiscent of ancient tribal music. There are also points where the music goes to a more modern level, swinging into gear with drum machines and sampled keyboard affects. Musically, on the whole, this is a good melodic piece with solid techno blending well against old themes. The beat tracks keep your foot tapping, and the hypnotic melodies will delight your ear. This is a great album for those looking to find an outlet for their Celtic interests, yet staying within the realm of modern tastes.
Charlie Gebetsberger

WIND AND WIRE REVIEWS
Dagda's Celtic Trance is one of those albums that the "artiste" in me probably shouldn't like (and I didn't at first listen) but one day recently I put it on again (after a several month hiatus) and realized that, given what it's trying to do, it's damn good.
This is basically Enigma with a Celtic twist with an added dash of Cusco (if I had to reduce the CD to a high concept), but it's also an enjoyable and extremely listenable album as well.

The production is slick and the music is appealing without being cliche (even given its ties to the smooth beats of Enigma and Deep Forest). The inclusion of Celtic textures, via what sound like a tin whistle and other trappings of the genre, infuse the CD with a freshness that a lot of Enigma-esque wannabes lack. And the beats are stellar; they're among the best I've heard. There are some vocals on the album, well-handled by three singers (the women, in particular, stand out) and the synths are played (always with style and flair) by Reg Keating and Phillip O'Reilly. The lyrics, printed in the liner notes, are a blend of Gaelic and English (the first line of the last song, "Barbarian," has a sly wink imbedded in it with the line being "Expressions become an enigma..." Ya gotta love that!

As the tin whistle melts into the lush synth washes and ethereal whispery wordless vocals of the second cut, "Oroshay," the album starts very strong. When those kinetic beats and highhats enter the mix, along with some very cool synth-plucked harps, I couldn't help but smile. God only knows why I didn't like this the first couple of times I played it. The piano intro to "The Primal Gods" yields to synth bagpipes amidst luxurious synth washes and the harp again. The beats are slower on this song, making this cut even more seductive in its rhythms (yes, seductive bagpipes).

The album continues on for a total of fourteen songs, each one a tasty nugget of ear candy. I don't know that there's a weak cut on the album. The individual songs vary enough that I never hit the skip button. Synth pan pipes scattered throughout the CD may remind some listeners of Cusco (as I mentioned above), even while the pipes and harp evoke images of Ireland and Wales. Some cuts are spirited and some are subdued, but everything here goes down easy. While the liner notes elaborate on who Dagda was (chief of the Celtic Gods), this is not really new agey or heavy-handed from a philosophical standpoint. But don't dismiss it as lightweight either. Just because it's highly accessible doesn't mean it's shallow.

While not at all in the same vein as Ceredwen or Enya, I would think there is cross-genre appeal here so that fans of those artists as well as the aforementioned Enigma and Deep Forest will equally enjoy this fine recording. By now I know that I should never take negative first impressions seriously. In the case of Dagda's Celtic Trance, I'm really glad I didn't do just that.