WORLDBEAT SPIRIT

This is the kind of gala, theatrical New Age music that makes you think of a Cirque du Soleil production. Composer/flautist Wheater is well-equipped for it. He studied with James Galway and Jean-Pierre Rampal, performed with the London Symphony Orchestra, and earned his eclecticist stripes by playing for Eurythmics and doing postgrad in world musical healing traditions.

As the title suggests, listening to Incantation can be a religious experience - New Age religion, of course, for Wheater's musical range makes you feel like you're in a great cathedral one moment, a sweat lodge the next - or both at the same time. The multicultural sound spectrum, as we've come to expect it in records like this, is awesome. And Wheater's thirteen-strong ensemble also delivers superb vocals - solo and chorus - of the "died and think you've gone to heaven" variety.

Spiritually uplifting, emotionally touching, and kinetic enough to ceremonial dance to, Incantation is 45 minutes of real good head space.