Dreamchaser

On her first studio album in five years, Sarah Brightman teams with producer Mike Hedges (U2, The Cure, Camilla Keslake) to craft an album of pop, rock, and classical songs linked by the theme of space travel. The Queen of Classical Crossover's crystalline vocals and flair for the theatrical serve her well here, whether she’s flying to soprano heights (“Angel”), surrounding herself with liturgical textures (“Ave Maria”), or riding the ripples of romantic pop (“Closer”). The scope of Dreamchaser’s material is impressive, ranging from the slowly unfolding grandeur of Sigur Ros’ “Glosoli” to the shimmering effervescence of The Cocteau Twins’ “Eperdu” and the arena-rock melodrama of Paul McCartney’s “Venus and Mars.” Brightman brings equal sensitivity to her versions of the exotic Rimsky-Korsakov piece “A Song of India” and Elbow’s orchestral rocker “One Day Like This.” “Kazi No Tormichi” deserves special mention for its ethereal delicacy. Hedges' production is both accessible and challenging, surrounding Brightman with lush strings, stately percussion, and electronica accents.