Reviewed by Andy Shaw

As anybody who has seen his mesmerising performances at the Big Church Day Out could tell you, Ben Jack is today one of Christian dance music's top artists/producers. Following the digital release of a three part EP series through 2017, the 'Younger Days' album brought the project together in spring 2018. With a telling combination of gentle, laid back, sunny afternoon grooves and pounding dancefloor-filling anthems the studio maestro drew on a range of different styles and brought in a long list of collaborators so that the musical brew featured here takes in everything from techno, pop, R&B, Afrobeat and hip-hop. The classic soft verse building to big chorus song structure is used to great effect on tracks like "New Horizon" and "Lay It Down". These tracks show off the vocals of Meg Latham and Philippa Hanna respectively who sound equally great through the restrained verses as when belting out the anthemic choruses. Fellow Message Trust duo SoulBox feature on two tracks providing soulful vocals to the chilled out vibes of "Back To Life" and "I Got You". Contrast is provided through some more intense moments, with the hard hitting beats and heavy synths of hip-hop-influenced "Lionheart" featuring one-time thebandwithnoname man Ad-Apt and Roberto Rosso. The Christocentric lyrics are full of hope and encouragement and skilfully blend together evangelistic messages with full-on worship. All in all, an outstanding release.

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