I've had this album since it was released four years ago (2002), and it has remained among my favorite few since then. Few albums can supply an endorphin rush at every listening, but the opening two tracks do it for me every time. The album as a whole is driven by strong bass and drums, making it a bit heavier than most of this site's fare, but in line with what you'd expect from a Delerium member.

Like the Delerium albums, Conjure One is comprised of both pop-oriented, lyrical songs (featuring guest vocalists Poe, Sinead O'Connor, and Marie-Claire D'Ubaldo) and longer electro-grooves (featuring Chemda's vocals, which resemble Indian or Middle-Eastern chants, but may be complete gibberish for all I know). The former, particularly those featuring Poe (Center of the Sun(2) and Make a Wish(8)), are what make the album so great. I've felt compelled to put each of the five on repeat at one time or another. There's nothing wrong with the more groove-oriented tracks; they're simply overshadowed by their album-mates. The opening and closing tracks are matching walls of sound that form appropriate bookends to the album, while remaining independently interesting.

While synthesizers play as large a role as expected, the string arrangements and piano of Chris Elliot stand out as well, lending a unique identity to this release. Most importantly, everything works well together, both at the song and album level. Conjure One strikes a perfect balance between variety and repetition. Enough talk - I declare that you want this album.

I wanted to love this album. In fact, I expected to love it without even trying. Alas, it was not to be.

Extraordinary Ways has a significantly different sound from its predecessor. It's still undeniably a Fulber production, but guitars are a prominent part of the sonic landscape this time around (Emerson Swinford plays on eight of the album's ten tracks). Most of the time, they blend seamlessly into the texture of the music, but occasionally they work their way to the front (usually to good effect, such as on Beyond Being(6)).

Poe (my favorite vocalist from the previous album), now known as "Jane," sings three songs on Extraordinary Ways, and she is in good voice. Other guest vocalists include Tiff Lacey, Joanna Stevens, and Leah Randi. I Believe(5), a Buzzcock's cover, features Rhys Fulber himself on vocals (this doesn't work out too well). Forever Lost(9) features returning vocalist Chemda singing in English lyrics for the first time with Conjure One. If that disappoints you, she does return to chant-singing on the final track, Into the Escape(10). Speaking of chant, world music references are relatively sparse - there's an interesting stringed instrument on the Tiff Lacey track, Face the Music(2), but that's just about the only notable bit.

These variations from Conjure One's debut simply make Extraordinary Ways different, not worse. The album's true failing is in the songwriting. These songs just don't have the emotional weight I want in my music, and which Fulber has delivered so many times in the past. Not a one of the five lyrical songs (Endless Dream(1), Face the Music(2), One Word(4), Extraordinary Ways(7), Forever Lost(9)) really moves me in the way that all of those on Conjure One do. The final, mostly instrumental track, Into the Escape(10), is actually pretty compelling, but it's too little too late.

While I'm disappointed by this release, I'm not too worried about Conjure One's future. The quality of all musical projects ebbs and flows, and Leeb and Fulber put out new albums quickly enough that things are always about to change. In fact, I need to pick up the newest Delerium...