Reviewed by Tony Cummings

EMI Gospel spent a long time getting the right producers to showcase their gospel signing Darlene and for my money it's been well worth the effort. The first cut "I Believe", produced by Fred Jerkins, is everything urban gospel is good at - a seriously funky groove and a vocal which bites with all the soul power that only an experienced diva can muster. The next track "If There Were No You", produced by our old friends PAJAM, is equally tasty. In fact, throughout the productions by the aforementioned as well as Tommy Sims and Antonio Neal are top notch and although the lyrics here seldom get beyond very familiar territory (examples, "Let your love always surround me/I adore you, I adore you/Because of who you are" or "The Lord will shine his light your way/Thank you Father/For shining your light on me") the voice and production values are so strong that one can forgive the clichés. All in all, outstanding urban gospel.

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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