Reviewed by Lins Honeyman

The strength of Manchester-based schools ministry team Twelve24 is their ability to offer up their own brand of hip-hop, dubstep and R&B with a Christian message that not only equals their mainstream counterparts but also succeeds in breaking new ground artistically. Core members Josh Green, Ryan Griggs and Christina Otoo-Anakwa's knack at mixing sung lyrics and scattershot rap to get the Gospel across in no-messing fashion without a single slice of cheese has to be lauded but hats off to the production team who have pulled off a truly exhilarating rollercoaster ride of tracks that thrill and surprise at every turn. Kicking off with the infectiously catchy dance tune "Higher" which contains a delightful nod to the Black Box smash "Ride On Time", the trio soon dart between the R&B of "Don't You Give Up" and "Good Thing" to more poppy numbers like "Say Yes" - all of which reinforce the overall message of Christ's love for us no matter what. Elsewhere, the themes of pain and being different are covered with positivity, relevance and style in "Scars" and the crowd-pleasing "Cool Like That" on a release that will fire hope and love into teenage lives whilst providing a listening experience for the rest of us that demands play after play.

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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