Reviewed by Andy Cooper

This album was originally released in 1997 and is now available on CD. Paul is a worship leader from Staffordshire, though frequently ministers further afield. This however, is an instrumental album designed to bring the listener into the presence of God, mirroring the (Old Testament) journey from the outer courts of the temple into the holy-of-holies. Even so, the style of arrangement and the sounds don't seem to progress at all. The keyboard patches are so very '80s with the un-dynamic string pads and marimba-tinged piano sounds, then there are the synthesized pan pipes and a completely, unforgivably bad 'saxophone' solo. The chord sequences and riffs show a strong '80s American pop-rock influence too, instantly attaching unwanted thought associations to the music: Howard Jones-style peroxide-mullets, the pastel shirts and pleated trousers of Miami Vice (the first time round) and movie soundtracks such as Cocktail and Pretty Woman for a start. It's unfortunately just too much to allow any sort of spiritual meditation. The meaning and depth in the song titles such as "Call To Worship", "Fill This Place" and "Halal" just don't seem to have been captured by the music on offer here.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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