Reviewed by Mark Edwards

Through touring and the release of the outstanding albums 'Celtish', 'Celtish Christmas' (two volumes)', 'Celtish Devotion' and 'Celtish Home', husband and wife duo Nigel and Julie have been able to build up a sizeable number of supporters. Now their latest set offers another chance to hear their artful blend of Celtic music (ie, music built on Irish-style folk) and contemporary worship. 'Celtish Journey' is a collection of innocent and carefree songs, full of praise and thanksgiving, nested in an assemblage of testimony and honouring of the saints. Most importantly, it is built upon a solid foundation of Scripture where the sole focus is God and our relationship with him in our day to day lives. The album is full of beautiful compositions that capture the heart and direct it towards God's Word. In fact, each song moved me to respond and reflect in different ways. "Carefree", one of my favourites, leads to that place of joy and peace we can only find in him, as well as a greater trust in our Lord. I was also moved by the skilful arrangements, well balanced and orchestrated, which include a touch of electric guitar that complement Nigel's traditional pipes to great syncretic effect. Julie's vocals and harmonies are wonderfully executed too while the instrumentals are wistfully evocative. I felt a certain child-like freedom with many of the songs that made me want to dance like David. On a technical note, I very occasionally felt that the instrumentation threatened to overpower the voices. However, this did not detract from the music so deftly executed here. Another excellent addition to the 'Celtish' series.

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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