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away, it sets you down in another place and time. As the east is left behind, a more familiar place is upon us. The Mummers Dance conjures up the spring festivals of pagan times.

When in the springtime of the year
When the trees are crowned with leaves
When the ash and oak, and the birch and yew
Are dressed in ribbons fair

Again the voice is at the forefront, but violins and mandolins flutter in the background, like the ribbons of the maypole being imagined here. Though we are on the familiar soil of an older Europe, the exotic feel is not lost; the song still evokes fantasy and a magical escapist dreamlike quality. The violin leads in the next track with a more wistful approach and the full Celtic flavour is brought to bear with the flute and whistle that haunts the piece. Even Loreena's vocal style changes to fit the surroundings as she manages to steal a piece of Clannads sacred domain. This is Skellig and it recounts the last words of a dying monk on the island community of a group of Dark Age men of God.

Beneath these jasmine flowers
Amidst these cypress trees
I give you now my books
And all their mysteries
Harken, John, my word
Let not these keys be lost
The secrets lie within
The writers of the past

Again we venture east with Marco Polo in an instrumental journey that bears his name, the eastern flavours abound in this arabesque arrangement and the rhythms that are created seem to match the gentle rocking of the traveller on the camels back. Tabla drums drive the song as wordless vocals accompany the precession east. Eventually the music fades as the caravan moves out of our senses and a more western flavour takes its place. A more familiar folk tradition is offered up next, the Highwayman being a narrative using the words of a poem by Alfred Noyes. This is by far the longest song on the album, but never seems to flag, even if you don't concentrate on the words themselves, the voice as an instrument and some fine guitar accompaniment make for a smooth ride.

La Serenissima, another instrumental follows and its gentle harp and violin co-join into a renaissance sounding lilt, if you were sat in a Medici court chamber this would be the theme music to the encounter. The originality of this piece is provided by its minimalist approach, it is light and airy. Hot on the heels of this is Night Ride Across The Caucasus, drums imitate the clatter of hooves and a darker rhythm is the basis of this track

There are visions, there are memories
There are echoes of thundering hooves
There

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