Reviewed by Lins Honeyman

Those long-in-tooth readers/listeners will know that Manchester's Message Trust once was the foundation stone from which emanated some of the UK Church's most pioneering acts, including The World Wide Message Tribe and Thebandwithnoname. They are still active in music ministry and this group, consisting of Jon Sewell and Ben Davies, are one of the latest to emerge. As the name suggests, SoulBox's overall sound is a mix of soul and beatboxing (with a hint of rap and smooth disco thrown in for good measure) and their debut EP sees the pair communicate the benefits of having a relationship with Jesus with clarity, relevance and accessibility. Using fairly large brushstrokes to get their message across, the subject of body image and God's acceptance of us just as we are is covered in the disco-tinged title track whilst our need for redemption through Christ is put across succinctly in "Discrepancy". Elsewhere, the famous "for I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ" verse found in Romans 1:16 is given a slick '90s pop soul twist courtesy of producers Tim Gosden and Geek Boy in "Intoxication" before the noteworthy "Rise Again" - charting the events of the first Easter from Christ's perspective - closes this worthwhile and enjoyable release in contemplative fashion.

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.

Interested in reviewing music? Find out more here.

This track data is supplied by the Cross Rhythms CD/DVD review library. Please note that CD tracks may vary according to release region or product version.