Review

Anyone acquainted with the simplicity and organic ambiance of the first 'Worship Circle' CD has probably already snatched this recording up. If you haven't yet, I'm sure there's a place to click somewhere around here so you can do just that. I recommend you do that right now. If you've not yet experienced 'Enter The Worship Circle' then you've really been missing out. What began as an experimental fusion of raw-boned worship, eclectic instrumentation and an intense desire to capture the breathless awe of God on 12-inch tape has evolved into, well, more of the same. Which is not to say that's a bad thing. Far from it.

Much of the music recorded here stems from the spontaneous and improvisational synergy of the people who took part in this 'Second Circle'. The feeling on each song is one where, the engineer presses 'Record', the musicians begin to play and after a few bars, someone begins to sing a song from their heart that in turn feeds the energy and verve of the others in the circle, setting off another chain reaction that the others run with in turn. In fact, if anything, the sense of expectation and discovery is palpable and delightfully unsettling at times, as each song delivers a cathartic and vicarious brand of worship unlike anything you've ever heard or experienced before.

The songs here are performed by a loose collection of musicians and worshippers, some of whom you may know from the previous recording, others you wouldn't know because this is the first time they've ever recorded anything. Ever. Some of the worshippers on this project had never been in the same room together until the day of the recording. They were forced to trust each other, to help each other and to consider the strengths and weaknesses of each other. The people involved had no real idea just what would end up on tape. Their egos were checked at the door and only the simple act of worship was important.

Certainly, the appeal of 'Enter The Worship Circle' is this sense of spinning out of control coupled with the organic texture of each song as we watch a song of worship unfold its wings and take flight. The songs are newborn, unpolished, naked and unashamed before the Creator. Songs here seem to reach beyond the normal range of sensory stimulus, to transcend the auditory and move into a more spiritual level than any other 'recording' I've ever known. 'Second Circle' is a wonderful experiment in allowing the Holy Spirit to teach you a song as you surrender your gifts, your will, your heart and your mind to His instruction.

As with the first recording, the experiment is a fantastic success. The entire project has such an extremely organic sense about it that it would almost seem more appropriate to package the CD in a hand-made wooden box with the disc laid out on a bed of straw. 'Second Circle' is a tapestry of words, music, scripture and sounds, loosely woven by a few earnest craftsmen, and fashioned as a gift of Love to the Savior.

Review by Keith Giles