Panagia was born of a return to the same Greek peninsula that inspires this album’s 1994 predecessor, Athos. Over 11 parts, Stephan Micus weaves poetry and songs of praise into his characteristic arrays of multiple instruments. Those of note include Chinese gongs, a custom-built 14-string guitar, dilruba (a bowed Indian instrument similar to the sarangi), sattar (Uyghur violin), and the Egyptian nay flute. No Micus album, regardless of how earthly, is without divine elements, but his ecumenicalism is especially vivid here, indicative of a profound singularity.

– Tyran Grillo