Reviewed by Elliot Rose

Following the critical and commercial success of previous albums 'Response' and 'Heaven & Earth', the Californian singer/songwriter, still only 29 years old, delivers possibly his best yet. 'The Ascension' kicks off with the energetic and somewhat folky title track whose emphatic chorus soars gracefully over its ambient foundation. A little later down the track list we come to the instant classic "This Is Amazing Grace", with a huge drum beat and simple synth riff it's sure to capture its audience, whether listening at home or watching live on stage. The real ascension, it has to be said, is by Phil's vocals in the softer "Mercy", where he shakes off the shackles of bog-standard worship songwriting for a more interesting musical and melodic approach, his voice rising well into the falsetto register, but never sounding forced or uncomfortable. For me, the strongest songs are the more atmospheric and lavish (the chorus of "Glory" in particular is mesmerising), but the gentle tunes like "Thirst" certainly shouldn't be overlooked. An impressive album which will certainly help solidify Wickham's position as an innovative worship songwriter.

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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