First listeners find (with some relief) that this is not a quintet of singers such as a pop group, trying to dazzle ears en masse, but an excellent programme of baroque music from top-class countertenors singing solo arias.
Yes, there are five of them and they come from various parts of the world: Yuriy Mynenko from the Ukraine, Max Emanuel Cencic from Croatia, Valer Sabadus from Romania, Xavier Sabata from Spain's Catalonia region, and Vince Yi is a Korean/American.
Each contributes two items for the 10 tracks, accompanied by the brilliant, award-winning period instrument group Armonia Atenea (conductor George Petrou).
Congreve called countertenors ''beyond all creatures upon earth'' in their heyday.
They show why they are again popular.
The disc gives the opportunity to rate five performers, but that would be unfairly judging more the demands of the pieces sung.
The singers display immaculate technique, vocal agility and range, interestingly with different shades of timbre and variety in their voices, on which there can be many opinions, but all are of impressive calibre.
Sabadus immediately wows by singing the opening aria by Jommelli, with its quickfire salvo of rapid coloratura that thrills.
Gems continue to sparkle and delight as Sabata follows with an aria by Porpora, Cencic one by Galuppia, and Mynenko arrives with Handel's ''Crude furie'' from Serse .
Vi sings an aria by Myslivecek.
In the second half of the programme the five revel in their solo choices by J. C. Bach, Gluck, Bertoni, Handel and Hasse.
A feast of countertenor showpieces here to be enjoyed.
Verdict: Male singers impressively hit musical high spots.
