Reviewed by Mike Rimmer

Six times a year I receive a very sizeable pile of CDs to review for these fine pages and every time I long to hear music that moves my soul and each time there is always a particular album that leaps out and excites me more than most. For this issue, this is the album. Produced by Andy Piercy, employing a selection of vocalists and techniques to create an album that includes a variety of styles. Who would have thought it was possible for him to create an anthemic version of "Did You Feel The Mountains Tremble?" that could distract you from the original. But he does. Here in the UK it probably doesn't really matter that it was created for a Promise Keepers initiative but what is cool is that he was instructed by record company bosses to create a cross between Macy Gray and Radiohead! 'Passage' is therefore ambient in places, funky in others and manages to not sound like a worship album which is a great achievement. This is a worship experience with so many highlights. "Fuel" has atmospheric jangling guitars, power chords and a catchy chorus recognising that it's God's Spirit that fuels our lives, and then there's the abandoned worship of the passionate "Cry Holy" which features the incredible vocals of Dicky Ochoa. There's the uncompromising pulsating beats of "Higher" with Mal Pope superbly handling the vocals and then there's the retro-soul '70s feel of "Jesus Mighty Fortress" which glides along on a electric piano-driven groove. My favourite tracks are the understated funky "You're Worthy Of My Praise", Dicky Ochoa singing "Mansion" and Mal Pope giving it some welly on "Higher". Too much good stuff on here to really describe it all, you'd better just buy and enjoy!

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