With 2006's AN ANCIENT MUSE, Loreena McKennitt's first studio album since 1997's THE BOOK OF SECRETS, the Canadian vocalist/multi-instrumentalist reestablishes herself as one of the finest purveyors of atmospheric, globe-spanning music. While the gentle, emotive "Penelope's Song" recalls her contemporary Sarah McLachlan, tracks such as "The Gates of Istanbul" and "Sacred Shabbat" are much more exotic pieces, steeped in a lush Middle-Eastern aesthetic. Fans who waited nearly a decade for this record will not be disappointed.