6/10

It has been seven years since Enya last made a studio album. 2008's 'And Winter Came...' saw the vocalist take on the idea of a concept release, creating a body of work based around the seasonal time of Winter and Christmas. And with the timing of release for this long-awaited return, 'Dark Sky Island' definitely still fits the mood of a colder time of year, but after so long away, how has she managed to develop her sound?

In short, she simply hasn't. Not to put a damper on Enya's return but its fair to say that she found her style a long time ago and yet, even after disappearing for seven years, she still keeps to the same old song sheet. Which isn't to say this new release is bad in any way, as she still manages to produce some brilliantly atmospheric music but don't expect there to be many surprises on this new record.

'Dark Sky Island' may not be the most triumphant of comebacks we have heard this year but it certainly won't have done any damage to her incredible legacy. It just seems like she missed an opportunity to really test herself but instead slipped back into her comfort zone for a safer release.