Some artists' histories are more intriguing than their music, and Soname Yangchen is just such a singer. She is best known as the author of Child of Tibet, the story of her dramatic escape across the Himalayas as a teenager; from her current home in Germany, she uses her gently atmospheric songs to continue to promote the Tibetan cause. She has a compelling, clear voice, as she has demonstrated with her live performances, but here her producer fails to do her justice. She is backed by guitars, cello, Tibetan lute and African kora, which is an improvement on the jazz-fusion outfit she has worked with in the past. Too many of the songs, however, sound gently charming but effortless and pleasantly unremarkable. She is at her best with minimal backing, as on Spirit Within and a powerful final live track recorded by the sea in Portugal.