Compare Enargeia

" " is an ancient Greek word meaning extreme vividness, the evocation of a visual scene. It's a bit hard to see how this applies in more than a general way to the program on mezzo-soprano . She writes: "Each piece is part of a sonic journey, each track born out of the previous one as the listener is guided through a progression, a cohesive and exploratory listening experience." This being so, one wonders why the track ordering is different in the physical and at least some online presentations of the album, but these are minor complaints. The compositions, all by women, are a compelling group. 's "Dead Friend," from a cycle drawn on 's Odyssey, is a standout. notes that at the program's core is the music of medieval abbess , who appears twice in small-orchestra arrangements by and . The themes are philosophical, taking on no less than life and death and ranging in time from ancient Greek epic to contemporary feeling. deftly weaves in the Icelandic atmospherics of , and the program, as a whole, maintains a lofty meditative mood without growing monotonous. It also helps that 's singing comes in many flavors, but really, one could profitably listen to the album just by immersing oneself in the richness of 's voice. She's a force of nature, and that's what's needed to pull off ambitious ideas like this one. An impressive and wholly original recording from an exciting young singer. ~ James Manheim