"Cuilidh" is the eagerly anticipated follow-up to Julie Fowlis' critically acclaimed debut album, "Mar A Tha Mo Chridhe." Cuilidh translates as a treasury or a secret hiding place for precious things, and a more appropriate name couldn't be found for this divine collection of beautifully performed Gaelic songs.

A few of the tracks on "Cuilidh" feature Julie's accomplished whistle-playing, and I can't help but draw comparisons between Julie's sharp singing and whistle-playing. It's almost as if she uses her voice as an instrument and applies the same techniques as she does when playing her whistle -- skipping effortlessly through the faster songs, but soaring gracefully on the lusciously slow airs.

Julie's phenomenal vocal dexterity on rapid puirt-a-beul (mouth music) songs never ceases to astound, and there are some delightful examples here that bear testament to this, not least the impressive set of three puirt-a-beul; " 'S Toigh Leam Fhìn Buntàta 's Ìm", "Tha Fionnlagh ag Innearadh," and "Hùg Oiridh Hiridh Hairidh." Julie rattles along at a phenomenal pace on these numbers without ever sacrificing even the slightest bit of clarity from her relentlessly beautiful voice.

There is an added element of authenticity about the songs that Julie has chosen on "Cuilidh" -- she can claim a genuine connection to many of the songs here, as they originate from her native isle of Uist and some were even written by her distant ancestors. For me, this physical connection to the songs permeates Julie's performance, and bestows it with an integrity that serves to intensify the impact of her breathtaking vocal power.

"Cuilidh" features a strong cast of supporting musicians -- Danú's Eamonn Doorley provides the heartbeat of the album with his bouzouki, alongside the assured sound of John McCusker's fiddle. Pushing the sound beyond the comfort zone is the unmistakable ring of Chris Thile's mandolin, adding a delicious hint of bluegrass to a number of tracks -- a combination that works really well. Further muscle is added by Altan's Mark Kelly, Capercaillie's Donald Shaw and Solas' renowned former guitarist, John Doyle. Of course, Julie's own expressive whistle-playing features prominently and rounds off a most delightfully produced ambience throughout the album.

If Julie's debut album raised her profile within the folk world, then "Cuilidh" is likely to catapult her to even wider recognition. There's no stumble here, no 'difficult' second album, just a remarkably confident and complete sounding collection, with Julie's voice stronger than ever. Should you need proof of Julie's vocal prowess, then look no further than the unaccompanied closing track, "Aoidh, Na Dèan Cadal Idir," a plaintive lullaby that will stir the deepest of your emotions -- and that's Julie's strength -- the sincerity and passion with which Julie sings, goes beyond any language barriers and reaches through the depths of your consciousness to unearth the most intuitive of sentiments.