David Moss (ex-Banoffi) was a PRS Foundation ATOM Award winner recently - a prestigious annual award which celebrates and rewards the best "originators of music" working in the UK. And this album from LightGarden is the result. Dave plays Bouzouki, Mandolin, Fiddle, Viola, Cello and Guitar. Masha Kaestner from East Germany features on Piano, Harmonium, Church Organ, Piano Bass, Accordion and Chimes. Both provide vocals and 'vocal overtones'- extraordinary throat singing where two notes are produced at once: a drone and the flute like harmonics above - an ancient Mongolian method used for healing and meditation. Unless you witness LightGarden performing live you'd be forgiven for thinking this extraordinary sound was produced through use of some electronic effect. Steve Blakeburn contributes Dumbek and percussion on 3 of the 10 tracks presented on this new album. LightGarden's influences are wide-ranging - from celtic timelessness to eastern Europe to the middle-east to North Africa. Musicianship of a very high order. "A journey of the heart, towards the heart; a journey back home. This is an outstanding album and a timely reminder of the magic inherent in the production of music. The 8 minute final track is taken from original text by Jalalud'din Rumi, translated by Shahram Shiva from "Rumi: Thief of Sleep". Exceptional.

LightGarden are David Moss and Masha Kaestner who have travelled the globe and as musicians have drunk deeply of other musical cultures. Demonstrating the taut arrangement of beautiful songs played on a wide rainbow of instruments - bouzouki, mandolin, cello, harmonium, piano, accordion etc - this is a winner from start to finish. Vainamoinen is a sumptuous banquet of voice harmony from Finland that puts one in mind of Bjork's vocal-only album Medulla, whilst the instrumental pluck of Rosslyn is compelling. Vocally Moss and Kaestner are superb especially on tracks like To the River and Verses from Rumi. That Moss and Kaestner wrote, arranged and produced nearly every track bodes well for these young musicians following in the footsteps of Shirley Collins. My only quibble is the cover art which makes the album look like soft-focus Christian rock. It needs to be more arresting to attract casual buyers. Warmly recommended.

A former member of Yorkshire folkies Banoffi, David Moss has been a regular on the British scene for years, whether with a band or on his own. LightGarden, his latest venture, sees Moss team up with Masha Kaestner, a vocalist, pianist and organist of German and Russian origins. The wonderful merger of cultures and musical styles has resulted in an album that switches moods and genres with ease. International waters are mixed as "Vainamoinen" sees Kaestner crooning a traditional folk song from Finland, "Antoshka" is about her memories from Russia and throughout it all, Moss, well Moss is a Yorkshire man and so retains the necessary in-built glumness and dry wit rquired to do these songs justice.