Category: EP – 4 tracks, runtime – 22 min
Genre: Contemporary Christian Music (CCM)
Release Date: 25.April.2025
Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ – 8.9/10
The crew are back. Either time’s whisking us off at a high pace or they’re on a prolific run. Either way, we’ve been waiting for a hopefully worthy followup to “Sacrifice” & this latest joint by all measures is just that.
For one, the whole joint’s funked up from the go. The opener, buoyed up by horns and psyche chants, exudes a retro freedom that compliments the uplifting lyrics. Our only potential reservation is that in devotional contexts where the focus mildly shifts from the object of devotion to the writer’s vantage point, there tends to be a shabby self-occupation. But oh heck, all the other sonic junk meals we consume everyday are self-obsessed. So, we think it’s warranted to cut our sacred gang some slack, after all they’re literally shouldering a lot of weight since there’s few in their subgenre as innovative as they are. That said, the production’s topnotch as always, and the arrangement’s equally sublime, as felt throughout the tune, but mostly at the climactic refrain. Thick sauce!
The followup “Lost” throws a few more interesting elements in the mix. From clappy forceful beats to a subtly atmospheric background that aptly complements Joel Bunjo’s raw vocals. It was also delightful to have Jehu feature prominently. The team back here are fans of his ethereal pipes, always a welcome addition. Speaking of welcome accentuations, drummer dude had a ball of a time, sheesh, star of the joint! Purely going by the sound of it, this was our fav track from the project by a mile.
Needless to re-highlight, this is a live project, a choice that’s most felt on the third track. It literally takes up half of the project’s runtime. Not vainly so, fortunately! There’s an expansive yearningness, both conceptually and in execution, that could only be contained in a longer format. It’s nothing foreign to devotional joints. In any case, it provided the most appropriate template to have Fresera do her magic, what a voice! Nifty joint
The closer’s concurrently the title track. And it’s emblematic of the spirit behind the project. Moderately playful, genre-hopping from the go, and dynamic in arrangement, it delicately reframed the sacred as hip without dipping into the all-common cringe of such experiments. See, the same could be said about all the entries on the joint. As a plus, even more fun and dancier than its predecessor, it’s a relief to see the siblings and company not settling for a safe formula but evolving. Keep these & the like coming!
