Stephen Rhodes should be well known to people familiar with the New World Music label. He's had several albums released through this label, including some in their Pure series. This latest album based on the theme of angels is part of the Paradise Collection and includes some liner notes about angels written by Diana Cooper. The usual disclaimer applies here that those who don't believe in the new age concepts the music is founded upon can still enjoy it nonetheless. The music on this album inspires a sense of wellbeing and security, as though some kind of heavenly being is overlooking one's life. In the first and title track "Protected by Angels" the listener is cocooned by harmonies of synth chords and cloudy choral effects washing in and out with some accompaniment by wind chime like tinkling. Even though the album as a whole is warm and comforting there's a nice exploration of different aspects of angels. Indeed, "Angel of the Ocean" is a more typical new age piece that begins briefly with the sound of waves on a beach, quickly changing to become a mainly acoustic meditation of gentle flutey melodies and plucked strings along with other tinkles and bright ephemeral sounds. A track partly breaking the uplifting mood is "Archangel Michael". Rising and sweeping synth chords in harmony with fluttering airy sounds depict a deeply contemplative and slightly pensive mood, making this one of the most dramatic pieces on the album. Being essentially a new age album it comes as no surprise to encounter a piano based track. The penultimate piece "In the Company of Angels" features a slowly developing piano melody that is at once serious but also pleasant and not overbearing. After a while synth and flutes briefly come in to fill out the sound stage. A lot of new age music relaxation music actually works best as background. Protected by Angels is a superior example of the genre that can be enjoyed as sweet ambience or as angelic sound that draws one's attention so that it can actively soothe and calm.