For those of you who enjoy listening to music as you roleplay, the following is a list of recommended groups and singers whose music would provide a good accompaniment. If you have any favorites that might be appropriate, send the information to Eos (empyrean@silverselene.com)

• Adiemus: Influenced by classical and "world" music, Songs of Sanctuary features the vocals of Miriam Stockley and the compositions of Karl Jenkins. Jenkins writes "Apart from religious connotations, 'Sanctuary' means a place of refuge. This music is somewhere to escape to..." Other albums: Adiemus II: Cantata Mundi, Adiemus III: Dances of Time, The Eternal Knot.
• Natacha Atlas: Atlas, a vocalist and dancer who has performed with the Transglobal Underground, brings a unique array of influences to her music. She blends the melodic delicacy and technical refinement of North African Arabic music with the digital flow of Western dance music, synthesising them into something thrillingly new. Albums: One Brief Moment, Gedida, Halim, and Diaspora.
• Sheila Chandra: One of Britain's first mainstream Asian pop stars, Sheila Chandra is of Indian descent, and her music includes elements of Indian, Asian, pop, dance, and Afro-Caribbean, all fused together through her unique vocal style. Albums: ABoneCroneDrone, The Zen Kiss, Weaving My Ancestors Voices, Roots And Wings, Nada Brahma, The Struggle, Quiet, Out On My Own, and Silk 1983 - 1990.
• Connemara: Featuring vocals by Grace Griffith and musical accompaniment by Cathy Palmer and Zan McLeod, Connemara's SirenSong contains songs about selkies, mermaids, and life on the sea. Other Albums: Beyond the Horizon.
• Cusco: "Cusco creates a uniquely infectious brand of world music, cascading tribal beats galloping under soaring keyboards in wonderfully thematic melodies that sound like they could be from a movie soundtrack." Composed of Michael Holm and Kristian Schultze, Cusco has been creating music for the past ten years, inspired by Michael's travels to different tribal cultures.
• Dadawa: Dadawa is a Chinese singer whose work has been inspired by the traditional music of Tibet, and whose songs feature haunting vocals and exotic percussion. Graeme Revell used her lovely voice for portions of the soundtrack to The Chinese Box. Albums: Sister Drum and Voices from the Sky.
• Krishna Das: Native chants from India combine with modern Western rhythms to create Krishna Das' unique sound. The popular artist, Sting, even lends his voice to the chants on Das' latest album, Pilgrim Heart. Other albums: One Track Heart.
• Dead Can Dance: Brendan Perry and Lisa Gerrard have created a blend of gothic, medieval, and "world" music, with styles ranging from South American to African to Middle Eastern. Other albums: Aion, Dead Can Dance, Into the Labyrinth, A Passage in Time, The Serpent's Egg, Spleen and Ideal, Spiritchaser, Toward the Within, and Within the Realm of a Dying Sun.
• Deep Forest: Eric Mouquet and Michel Sanchez, two French musicians, use influences from all over the world for their music, including African, South American, and Eastern. A recent album, Comparsa, features a rich combination of vocals and global rhythms. Other albums: Deep Forest, Boheme, World Mix, and Made in Japan.
• Delerium: If you like Enigma, Deep Forest, and Dead Can Dance, then you'll love Delerium, which sounds like a mix of all three. Fans of Sarah McLachlan may wish to check out their album, Karma, which features her vocals and lyrics.
• Enigma: "Return to Innocence" and "Sadeness" are two of their better-known songs, having been played on the radio and MTV alike. The Screen Behind the Mirror is their latest album, and features a range of influences, including rousing classical piece, "Carmina Burana," by Carl Orff. Other albums: Le Roi Est Mort, Vive Le Roi, Cross of Changes and MCMXC a.D.
• Enya: "Orinoco Flow" may be her most well-known song, and it is included on one of her more recent albums, Paint the Sky With Stars, a "best of" collection, though it also contains a few new songs. A Day Without Rain is her latest effort, and it features all new songs -- a must-have for any Enya fan. Other albums: Caribbean Blue, The Celts, Memory of Trees, Shepherd Moons, and Watermark.
• Era: Composed, arranged, and produced by Eric Levi, ERA features lush vocals, haunting choirs, and delicate harps, as well as a more "modern," ambient feel. "Ameno" is one of their more well-known pieces, having been used in MasterCard's World Cup ad campaign.
• Peter Gabriel's Passion: The soundtrack for the controversial movie, The Last Temptation of Christ, features various world artists, including Youssou N'Dour and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. It has been called "a remarkable achievement and a triumph of marrying traditional 'world' musics with Western forms," with its influences from north Africa and the Middle East.
• Govinda: "A mix of hauntingly seductive melodies of gypsy violin and guitar with ethnic styles from Spain, India, and Ireland all woven into textures of deep groove, ambience, and modern psychedelia," describes Govinda. O Earthly Gods is Govinda's first album, with all songs composed by Shane O'Madden. Other albums: Entwined & Entranced, Erotic Rhythms from Earth.
• Great Big Sea: "Great Big Sea is not a band you just go and see, or a cd you just listen to. Great Big Sea is something you have to do." Lead singer Alan Doyle's description of his band might be simple, but it comes close to describing the phenomena that is Great Big Sea. Their records are renowned for drawing together disparate threads of folk and pop music, while their shows are a storm of powerful singing, driving rhythms and soaring melody. Critics are often at a loss to describe the unique appeal of the band, who have built a strong and enduring career by combining the traditional music of their isolated Newfoundland home with a myriad of pop influences. (Biography taken from the band's website). Albums: Great Big Sea, Up, Play, Rant and Roar, Turn, Road Rage, Sea of No Cares, and Something Beautiful*

• Ofra Haza: This popular singer from Israel has produced a number of albums featuring exotic, world rhythms and lush vocals. She has even been featured in a couple of soundtracks -- Prince of Egypt and The Governess. Albums: 50 Gates of Wisdom, Shaday, Desert Wind, Kirya, and Ofra Haza.
• Loreena McKennitt: Book of Secrets, one of her more recent albums, features the song, "Mummer's Dance," which has received widespread radio-play and even a video on MTV. Her music may best be termed as "Celtic," though it draws its roots from all over, and even includes poetry by Blake, Tennyson, and Yeats. Other albums: Elemental, The Mask and the Mirror, Parallel Dreams, To Drive the Cold Winter Away, The Visit, A Winter Garden: Five Songs For the Season, and Live in Paris and Toronto.
• Mythos: Mythos consists of keyboardist Bob D'Eith and and guitarist Paul Schmidt, from Vancouver, Canada. Their music fits into the Delerium/Enigma/Deep Forest category, featuring classical melodies that "blend with African tribal rhythms and traditional Oriental and Middle Eastern tones to create a sound that is unique, otherworldly, and elegant." Albums: Introspection and Mythos.
• R. Carlos Nakai: Native American flute music accompanied by vocals, nature-sounds, and a variety of other musicians. The sound of Nakai's flute ranges from haunting to soothing, bringing to mind canyons and grassy plains and an era long gone.
• Oceania: "Exotic and mutable, the music of Oceania grounds itself in ancient culture while fully engaging in a modern sonic sensibility." Oceania features the talents of Hinewehi Mohi, Jaz Coleman of Killing Joke, and Hirini Melbourne, a composer and professor of Maori studies. Albums: Oceania.
• Oracle: A mix of Celtic, ambient, and "New Age," Oracle's Pool of Dreams includes various pieces about the sea and mythology.
  

  Wind across the waves
  Blows you far from me
  May you find your way
  Over the wide seven seas
  And oh, my heart goes with you now
  To the edge of your dreams
  - "Dive Deep," Pool of Dreams

• Kate Price: Vocals and a mix of Celtic and "world" music combine to make her album, The Time Between a real treat for fans of Enya and Loreena McKennitt. Other Albums: Deep Heart's Core.
• Robbie Robertson: Formerly a member of "The Band," Robbie Robertson has since struck out on his own, and has released several albums -- the latest of which take a detour away from rock/pop and explore more of his Native American roots. Aether players may enjoy Robbie Robertson and the Red Road Ensemble: Music for the Native Americans and Contact from the Underworld of Redboy.
• Sacred Spirits: In the album Yeha-Noha, traditional Native American songs are blended with modern rhythms to create a unique sound.
• The Taliesin Orchestra: Charles Sayre, arranger and conductor of the Taliesin Orchestra, "creates fresh interpretations of the atmospheric compositions of Enya," and Enya fans should enjoy both Taliesin albums: Maiden of Mysteries and Orinoco Flow: The Music of Enya.
• Vas: Vas, meaning "vessel," combines the human voice and drumming to create a sound that is both "profound and primeval." Greg Ellis and Azam Ali comprise this Los Angeles-based group, and draw influences from India, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East in their album, Sunyata. Other Albums: Offerings and In the Garden of Souls.
• Vox: "Vox are a unique vocal and instrumental ensemble who specialize in bold reinterpretations of medieval music for contemporary audiences." Using medieval instruments, Middle Eastern percussion, the Arabic "oud" (lute), and subtle synthesizer orchestrations along with lush vocals for their From Spain to Spain album, they create a sound that fans of Enigma, Delerium, and Deep Forest should enjoy. Other Albums: Diadema, and Divine Rites.
• Walela: A trio of women -- sisters Rita Coolidge and Priscilla Coolidge, and Priscilla's daughter, Laura Satterfield -- make up this group of Native American singers. Their music is distinctive and vocally driven, and they've appeared as guest singers on a couple of other albums before producing their own self-titled debut album. Other albums: Unbearable Love.
• Tim Wheater: Originally one of the founding members of the Eurythmics, Tim Wheater is an accomplished composer and "sound healer," whose music is designed not only to entertain, but to heal the mind and body as well. His album titled Incantations is described as "an archetypal celebration... ritualistically tribal, symphonically grand, [and] exquisitely tender..." Other Albums: Calmer Panorama, Eclipse, Fish Nite Moon, Heart Land, and Mistral - The Wind of Change.