Album: Marc Sinan & Julia Hülsmann, Fasil, (ECM)

Despite guitarist Sinan's winning, erudite sleeve-note explaining the

project's intentions, (a cross-cultural evocation of the life of Aisha, youngest wife of the prophet Mohammed, based on fragments of the Koran) the international sextet's music is as self-important as a 1970s prog-rock epic by Yes, whose ponderous lyrics the Koranic words sometimes recall. This follows another recent Arabic-hued dud, Cyminology's As Ney, proving the esteemed label's taste is not faultless.

Pick of the album: 'Sure 6/51, var': it's short and there are no vocals