A few years ago, an independent electronic worship band called An Epic, No Less produced a short but solid album. Their independent release spread through what was at first a relatively small underground group of fans, but over the next two years their music would gain momentum— and the attention of label executives at Tooth & Nail/BEC Recordings. This summer brings us the electronic worship group's label debut, Echo of Love, featuring updated versions of past independent songs as well as several new tracks.

 

The project begins with the bright, cheerful track "We Need You." Although this song (and the whole album) aims in the direction of worship throughout, it does so without leaning too much on cliches or common Church phrases. "If You're hope for the broken, we are shattered glass," this opening track proclaims, establishing from the first chorus the band's ability to employ vivid visuals. This is a skill demonstrated even more fully on the title track. "Echo of Love" is a beautifully balanced blend of electronic and worship elements, supporting shimmering vocals singing "I hear an echo of love—we are the echo of love. I feel an echo of love—we are the echo of love."

 

The smooth vocals, heavy use of keyboards and synth patches, and innocent vibe is almost reminiscent of Owl City at times, with slightly less obscure lyrics and imagery. Many of the songs play like a sonic representation of light, such as stand-out track "Mercy Light." This worship song declares "You're the sparks at dawn, what I'm waiting on." The mood of the musical landscape perfectly matches the scene in the lyrics.

 

Some more gentle, poignant tracks balance out the overall cheerful radiance of the majority of the selections. "Come to the Cross" is a call to the comfort of Christ's sacrifice. This song could easily be found in a church setting as well as connecting on an individual level with beautifully crafted statements like "He didn't lose His life--He gave it away for you." Similarly, the mellow "Rescue Me" is an honest cry from a dark place for the Rescuer.

 

One of the strongest moments of the album comes at the very end with "Your Love is Louder." For the first time on the album, female vocals take the lead in a restrained, piano-driven moment of worship. It is the perfect finish: "Your love is louder than the ocean, Your love is louder than the storm."

 

This fresh, vibrant album promises to be one of the strongest worship albums of the year. An Epic, No Less crafts a beautiful soundscape of keyboards, vocals, and poetic lyrics to create a rich and layered sound that is instantly memorable. Echo of Love breathes a refreshing creativity and vibrancy into themes of God's love and His peoples' response.