Taken under the wing of 's wunderkind for a return album, former Syrian singing prodigy here provides a nice span of Syrian song styles. Her accent may have diminished a bit thanks to 20-plus-years in the U.S., but her delivery is quite good nonetheless. The songs chosen come from the Muwashshah format, the Qadds of various substyles, Dawrs, , and more. Always, there is a beautiful poem underlying the song, with lush strings in the arrangement courtesy of and his cohort. This is a nice album for an introduction to Syrian music, with some emphasis placed on the diversity of song, but with a consistently sultry voice to deliver it. Worth a listen for those already acquainted with Middle Eastern rhythms but with more knowledge of the Persian systems. Worth a little more for newcomers to the region's music. ~ Adam Greenberg