Moyan Brennan - Two Horizons (2003) SACD

A lovely work notable for both its cohesiveness and its aural richness, Two Horizons stands as probably the most broadly appealing solo disc (now numbering five) yet released by Clannad vocalist Moya (aka Máire) Brennan, the oft-overshadowed elder sibling of Enya. Brennan uses a mythic tale involving a much-travelled harp (a totem for all things virtuous) as the disc's thematic centre, yet it is the recording's composite sound--resonant, sumptuous, never quite overblown--that inspires repeated listenings. Brennan, who takes several turns on harp, explores a satisfying middle ground between mod and medieval, blending traditional Irish instrumentation with understated electronics and, on occasion, gently propulsive rhythms (akin to what you might hear from Dido), then adorning the whole with a gossamer New Age veil. The effect, as displayed in transitions throughout the disc (such as the shift from the dreamy "Is It Now" to the techno-spiced "Mothers of the Desert"), can be mesmerising. Like morphing clouds in an expansive sky, the disc's 15 core tracks float by in an enchanting, atmospheric procession, with no jarring disruptions (other than a tacked-on club remix at the disc's conclusion) to break the spell. --Terry Wood