Reviewed by Tony Cummings

If you're looking for something fresh and invigorating in choral music yet have tired of the standard choirs - both cathedral and Welsh male voice - here is the album for you. Ecclesiastes, billed here as "Russia's foremost Christian singing group", offer a 15-song selection of worship songs, mixed in with a few folk numbers, to produce a sound, particularly on the sad and mournful "Beauty My Soul" as thrilling as anything to be heard in the choral tradition. Elsewhere, a certain mannered folksiness stops complete enjoyment and I preferred the tracks without accompaniment rather than those featuring balalaikas and piano accordions. At best, this 5-man, 6-woman team produce a sound which with its rich, somnolent harmonies and ethereal voices echoes many of the glories of Orthodox church music.

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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