The track is from the upcoming album "MCMXC A.D." with the artist billed as Enigma. It is the creation of a German producer "who prefers to remain anonymous", according to Charisma press information on the album.
But it is no secret in the European pop community that the producer is Michael Cetu, who has scored success previously in Germany as a producer with Peter Cornelius, Hubert Kah, and Moti Special, and as a solo artist (Billboard, Jan. 26).
"If we said Michael Cetu initially [here] it's not like saying Jellybean Benitez. So we thought we'd keep it under wraps", says Audrey Strahl, VP of press and artist development at Charisma.
With a sound that falls somewhere between D.N.A.'s remix of Suzanne Vega's "Tom's Diner" and Madonna's "Justify My Love", the "Sadeness" single broke on the Hot Dance Music club-play chart before the 12-inch had shipped, after a push from Charisma's national dance promotion manager, Peter Albertelli.
The track -- billed as "a sort of dark homage to the notorious Marquis de Sade" -- has sparked some controversy overseas with its combination of religious and erotic overtones. The enigma sound also has spawned several sound-alike singles in Germany, some of which may see U.S. release. "We're confident we have the original", says Strahl.
Charisma says MTV has accepted a video that already has aired in Europe and will use top 40 play to promote sales of the Enigma album, set for release Tuesday (12).
[Reproduced without permission from Billboard magazine]