Rajna are firm favourites of mine. Alongside Arcana, they are leading the field in making new songs, using ancient instruments, that conjure imaginary worlds. Opening song "Nevo" starts slowly, creating sacred space for the rest of the album to inhabit. It gathers pace with the mix of male and female vocals, invoking the spirit of the desert. It's perfect for transporting the listener away from their everyday circumstances. "Voyage Of The Magus" has a strong Dead Can Dance feel, of the 'Mystic Orient' side of the band. Female vocalist Jeanne wails mellifluously. This is the sort of music you could use when meditating. Who knows what mystical lands you will visit? "And The Leaves Are Falling" features violin and hammered dulcimer. Just when you think it's over there's a quiet keyboard, then the song continues as if broadcast through a distant radio. It's unexpected and experimental and keeps the listener on their toes.

Next Ashram offer us the piano-led "Shine On Me". The male singing has an interesting timbre. The violin keeps things interesting, circling above the piano. While I don't find this as spellbinding as the Rajna songs it is a pleasant listen, which maintains the dream-like atmosphere. With a running time of seven minutes it does outstay its welcome a little. "Sparks" is a slower piece, once again with the piano and violin to the fore. The melancholy mood reminds me of The Mission's "Bird Of Passage". While undoubtedly pretty there isn't enough variety to the Ashram sound to make me want to listen to a whole album, but they are pleasing company for three songs. Like the other two Ashram songs on offer, the instrumental "Nino's Choice" wouldn't sound out of place on a film soundtrack.

Damonia Nymphe contribute only one song, which has the grammar defying title of "Pros[neazoe]Euhi". It's dark and mysterious, with ominous drones and chants from a grove dedicated to a cloven hoofed god. It's a 15-minute mood piece rather than a song, but the mood is potent. It has an improvised feel, with the correct use of ebb and flow. Around the 12-minute mark, heavenly voices are introduced, as if the clouds have cleared and the sunlight is allowed to flow onto our rural scene.

Caprice leads us into a medieval world with floaty female vocals and plucked harps. "Viola Floralis Part 1" has a rapid pace, with sounds darting all over the place. It's a strange listen, with mysterious shouted backing vocals. If Tim Burton ever remade a classic Disney film this would make the perfect soundtrack, mixing as it does the sugarcoated with the macabre. "Part II" sounds like a prog-rock song played at double speed. Or maybe the ZX Spectrum version of Golden Axe played too quickly on a PC emulator. Ghostly monks join the fray in "Part III" which also sounds like the soundtrack to a computer game. The pace is mercifully less frenetic, though the fairies are still up to their tricks. "Part IV" is exhaustingly frantic, like Dead Can Dance on amphetamines. "Part V" starts idyllically, with bird song and ethereal female vocals. The sound of the Crazy Frog in the distance makes an incongruous appearance. The songs contained on this album suggest a true eccentricity that it would be foolish to try and control.

Poussieres D'Etoiles bring the album to a close with "Worlds Meeting". It's a hazy, lazy day of echoing guitar. It brings the listener gently back down to earth after the lunacy of Caprice. The way the song shifts gives it the feeling of a less electronic Future Sound of London. A female voice fades in and out. Once again this song would work on a film soundtrack.

Where this compilation scores is in the choosing of five bands who don't sound the same, but who share some things in common. The mood created by each band is affected by what has gone before – and on repeated listens the anticipation of what is to come. If you like the idea of elves, fairies, magi or nymphs then by all means let this album take you into a world of such magical creatures. If you would prefer another destination this album can take you there too, all you need is a little imagination.