"Ancient" is only a couple letters away from "ambient." It is no small coincidence, then, that Ancient is Kitaro's most ambient album. It is the soundtrack to a documentary about — well — the ancient lands of Egypt, Indus (India), Mesopotamia and China. With sweeping dramatic instrumentals and dynamic bravado, Kitaro takes his listeners on tours of these great civilizations and cultures. The compositional and performance talents of this great artist are paramount. His interpretive expertise shines as he creates warm atmospheres with appropriate respect and intrigue. The soundscapes are strong and bold as only Kitaro and a handful of others can do. The new age performers at this level are Constance Demby, Suzanne Ciani, Lisa Lynne, Vangelis and Deuter.