I finally listened to Dead Can Dance. At first I kept forgetting to download them, and then I would come across either random fragments or poor-quality recordings. Finally, I downloaded their entire discography from eMule in one go, in the Musepack format beloved by audiophiles. (.MPC)
To describe them very roughly and simply, DCD are somewhat similar to Enigma, Era, and Gregorian, only better. A simple-minded acquaintance of mine calls all of the above "church music". In fact, Dead Can Dance stand well apart from the rest. What usually bothers me about this kind of music is the plasticky, artificial quality of its attempts to sound meditative (how about that phrasing!). There is none of that in the dancing dead.
To use the critics’ favourite stock phrases, it is a sad and sublime blend of world music (especially medieval European music) and pleasant electronica, while remaining thoroughly easy to listen to. In other words, it is essentially thoughtful, dreamy indie pop with a faint touch of gloom that gives the music a certain charm.
Naturally, any music lover has already heard it, but everyone else would do well to give it a listen. Recommended.