New Age or world-beat curiosity? Monk chic of the sort that made the Dalai Lama a superstar? The example of ambient acts sampling plainsong for its otherworldly buzz? Whatever the reasons for Chant's astonishing worldwide sales, the music itself transcends such minor mysteries. Extant for 1,500 years, Gregorian chant – psalm-based Latin melodies sung seven times daily in certain Catholic monasteries – is some of the most purely entrancing sound ever composed. This no-frills recording of Spanish monks captures with perfect clarity the intensity and intimacy of this form of prayer. Modest, unison singing – no tricks, no virtuosity – the chanting comes from the heart, unselfconscious and nakedly direct. (RS 684)

PAUL EVANS