Bethel Music,the worship music and community of songwriters emerging from Bethel Church in Redding, CA, will release its second, all instrumental, full-length album, Without Words: Synesthesia, July 31, 2015 through Provident Music Distribution. Well-known Bethel Music songs, such as "It is Well," "You Make Me Brave," "Over My Head," "This is Amazing Grace" and more, have been reconstructed with lush instrumentation set against orchestral sonic landscapes. The recording continues what Bethel Music began in 2013 with the release of its first instrumental album, Without Words, which received wide critical acclaim.
For Without Words: Synesthesia, Bethel Music presents a fresh wave of instrumental music. While the project is at times reminiscent of the more organic Without Words, this sophomore project takes a distinctly new direction, incorporating electronic elements and ethereal vocal layering.
"The album's tracks are threaded together with colorful interludes, escorting listeners seamlessly through an unbroken musical experience, one of communion, healing and rejuvenation," says Brian Johnson, who, along with his wife Jenn, are the senior worship pastors at Bethel Church and oversee the Bethel School of Worship.
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Ethereal Eternity| Posted July 29, 2015
Bethel Music is back with another instrumental album, this time moving from the full orchestra that we heard in Without Words to an inspired, ethereal electronic sound. Synethesia gives us reimagined instrumental versions of songs from the albums You Make Me Brave and Tides.
The album is not one that can be easily reviewed; it is one that must be experienced. It is an album that needs to be turned on and focused on. The orchestration is beautiful, and there is life in the music. The album reflects the fact that it is more than words that can lead us into a time of worship and into the presence of an Almighty Creator.
While listening, I was reminded of the story of David and Saul from 1 Samuel 16:23: "And whenever the tormenting spirit from God troubled Saul, David would play the harp. Then Saul would feel better, and the tormenting spirit would go away" (NLT). The team at Bethel have in essence become a modern day David, taking up their instruments and, without any words, ushering in the calming presence of God.
If you are familiar with Bethel Music and have heard the last couple of albums, you will hear the melodies of familiar songs such as "This is Amazing Grace," "You Make Me Brave" and "Closer" and find yourself singing the words. In addition to reimagined versions of their own songs, Synesthesia contains songs written for this project alone and a version of perhaps the most popular worship song of the past few years, "Oceans." Even without Taya Smith's voice, the song ebbs and flows and calls us to that deeper place, and since it is such a familiar melody, it does not require lyrics any longer for it to evoke the same feelings and emotions.
Closing Thoughts:
I was a fan of Without Words, and I am an even bigger fan of Synesthesia. The album calms the soul and brings you to a perfect place of quietness so that you can hear the only words that truly matter: the words the Lord is speaking over your life. Much like how the score of a movie pulls you into the story, this album can be the score of your story as you grow in your relationship and walk with Christ.
Song to Download Now:
"Oceans" (Get it on iTunes here.)
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