Karl Jenkins laces his latest offering with a dash of Latin passion courtesy of Villazón, Miloš and co.

In his own quiet way, Karl Jenkins has become one of the most popular musical auteurs on the planet. Best known for his series of Adiemus albums, variations on the unique musical concept of the million-selling Adiemus: Songs of Sanctuary, his works have been more frequently performed than any other living composer’s.

Almost 10 years since Karl Jenkins last released an album under the Adiemus umbrella, there’s excitement brewing for his brand-new album Adiemus Colores. A colourful concoction of Latin rhythms and choral dynamite, this time Jenkins has looked to the arresting passion and dynamic carnivale of South America for inspiration.

Adiemus Colores is packed with intense and characterful musical performances. As the title suggests, Jenkins has named the tracks after different colours to suggest their character – red for passion, white for innocence, turquoise for sensuousness and so on. “They’re pegs on which to hang the music, and it gives an idea of the mood they evoked in me when writing,” says Jenkins.

For the new album Jenkins has called in some big guns to give his sound an appropriate dose of...