"While much of the sedate and reflective flavour of Borderlands comes from the Shashmoqam and the Uyghur maqam traditions it also has a scattering of Uyghur folk songs as well as a Hui [Muslim Chinese] fixed-melody piece and Wu Man's solo performance of a Kazakh song arranged by herself and Mamer. Several of the songs featuring the Uyghur singer Sanubar Tursun - often her own tradition-based compositions - are outstanding ... Apart from being a fitting way to end this landmark series, Borderlands is also a timely reminder of how music, cultures and people have interacted and flowed back and forth across this area for millennia".
