As a listener, I know when I hear English lyrics I will immediately begin to "think" about the song and what the lyrics are saying, instead of letting the emotional flow carry me. I wonder how a Farsi speaking person would react in the reverse circumstances, or is it just that English lends itself to rationality so readily?

While there was only one song that really stuck out in that manner, "Forty One Ways", I still found all the English songs would pull me slightly out of the atmosphere created by the other songs. That being said, the moments of absolute beauty and wonder through out disc far outshone those few distractions.

For the most part there is perfect harmony between the electronic and acoustic instruments and the mixing of traditional percussion with drum machines went a long way towards creating the unworldly atmosphere required to ensure the proper mood and feeling were created. As my own personal preferences are towards acoustic and traditional instruments, I hesitate to criticize what I feel was an over reliance on electronics but at times I felt the sound was bordering on distortion because there was so much happening at once. Again, this could just be a case of my ear not being used to this type of sound but I think the effect could have been achieved equally well if not even better with sparser arrangements.

But these are minor quibbles; Azam Ali's Elysium For The Brave is a remarkable creation in its ability to weave together an aural soundscape of power and beauty. The fact that it reflects such poignant subject matter makes it all the more remarkable an achievement. Azam Ali has managed to achieve her goal of creating a disc of music that has the potential for universal understanding and appreciation.

If you ever wondered where the true potential for artistic expression lies in contemporary music, it is with people like the Azam Ali's of the world, not the MTV generation.