Reviewed by Andy Shaw

Jonathan Ogden is best known as a founder member and lead singer of the experimental worship band Rivers & Robots though in recent times he's guested on projects by several other artists. In 2017 Ogden embarked on an ambitious set of four releases named after each of the seasons. Starting with 'Winter' in February 2017, these EPs were released every three to four months with 'Autumn' the final one. Each EP has a different style and draws on different influences to reflect the changes in the seasons. For 'Summer' the vibe is very much a laid back lazy summer's afternoon with ambient synths and soft beats to the fore. The instrumentation provides a solid foundation, keeping things simple allowing the vocals space to stand out and flourish. There is a flow to the record that feels like you are floating on a lilo, drifting out to sea on the gentle waves of synths under the sunny warmth of the vocals. They lyrics clearly come from personal revelation of God and are powerfully delivered, with opener "Perfect" a particular highlight as Jonathan proclaims "No one else can satisfy me like you do oh God." Guitars also play their part with "Everything I Want" featuring a lead guitar line echoing the vocals and the acoustic guitar providing the lead on closer "Know Me Better". I think if this were a full length album, there would probably need to be a bit more variety in the instrumentation to keep the interest but as a five track EP this is not an issue. There is a sense of intimacy on this record providing a great soundtrack to reflecting on God and resting in his presence.

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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