Reviewed by Mike Rimmer

Recorded live over a couple of days in June last year, New Hope Community Church clearly have a talented bunch of musicians and writers and this recording captures some of the songs coming out of the church. Worship leaders David Beidel and Mark Giacobbe lead the way through a variety of styles but mainly focussed on congregational easy listening styles. The album opens with a couple of lively praise tunes which are polished and well recorded but just sound like so many other worship albums and that is where 'Fragrance' has its challenges, how to stand out from the crowd. Filled with pleasant praise and worship, there are occasional moments when this really sparks into something fresh. Highlights include the version of "Psalm 136", "His Love Goes On" is a rhythmic anthemic praise song whilst "0 God Most Holy" is an atmospheric piece of worship. "No Other God" is a lively, catchy, singalong celebration and "Lord I Hunger And Thirst" builds up to a passionate heart cry with the repeated line "clean hands, pure heart." Overall this is a very good effort from a local church and the results are clearly recorded.

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