Reviewed by Tony Cummings

There have been thousands of believers around the world waiting for this release, which is of course the first since the renowned revivalists bravely split from Redding's Bethel Church to relocate to Sacramento. Few of 'Let It Echo' purchasers who have already catapulted this album high into various charts will be disappointed. This is amongst Jesus Culture's greatest works. Since their formation in 2005 the worship team, with two exceptional singers and songwriters in Kim Walker-Smith and Chris Quilala, have made some of the most consistently arresting worship music. They generously don't hog all the vocals here and Bryan Towalt, Derek Johnson, Chris McClarney and Katie Torwalt all offer powerful vocals. To Jesus Culture's sound - a template of stadium rock which, in the words of one reviewer, "gets bigger and bigger, wider and wider" - the band have now introduced an EDM musical element. Thanks to the sure-footed production of Jeremy Edwardson their revised sound is rhythmically engaging and occasionally downright cinematic. But as we all know, worship projects rise and fall on the strength of the songs being sung and 'Let It Echo' has songs which like its predecessors will surely impact the world Church. On "Alive In You" (written by Kim Walker-Smith, Jordan Fry and Kim's husband Skyler) is a near-perfect marriage of pop song immediacy and joyfully direct proclamation - "You're strong in my brokenness/Sovereign over every step/Even in the fire/I'm alive, I'm alive in you." Pride of place on the album though has to go to the title track, a plea for the revival which continues to touch the Jesus Culture musicians, first in Redding and now Sacramento, to reverberate around the world church. "Let It Echo", written by Chris Quilala, Sarah Reeves and Jacob Scooter, is a truly memorable song ("We're standing on horizons/Where earth collides with Heaven/You're longing for your children/To cry out for more/We cry out for more." There's another song almost of equal stature and one which could only be sung by revivalists caught up in the signs and wonders of Holy Spirit activity. That song is "Miracles" with its wonderful couplet "The one who made the deaf to hear/Is silencing my every fear." Some years ago prophecies were made that before the Lord's return there would be revivals of darkness and of light and that contemporary music would be a spearhead for revival. Albums like this one is bringing that day ever closer.

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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