Hillsong United “The White Album [a remix project]” Album Review

It's a tall order to name one's album after the Beatles' historic "The White Album."  The Beatles' 1968 record not only sold over 20 million copies, it has been hailed by prodigious critics as "the greatest album of all time."  This is because the album was edgy, innovative and far too progressive for its time.  With the same lofty vision, Hillsong United has approached their first ever remix album.  Just like the English rock band's legendary release, Hillsong United's latest album sleeve finds their name embossed on its plain white sleeve.  And just like the Beatles' legendary record which pushes the envelope of creativity to its zenith level, here this Australian-based church team have tried to stretch the limits of how electronica can be used to serve the worship of the King of kings.  On "The White Album" the United team have taken 12 of their previously released worship songs and they have invited some of the industry's best producers and artists to bring new imagination to these staples again.  Some of these "remixers" include Myriad's Jeremy Edwardson (Jesus Culture, Soulfire Revolution), Family Force 5's Solomon Olds, Future of Forestry's front man Eric Owyoung, Eisley's Stacy King, Mutemath's Darren King and their own youthful siblings Hillsong Young and Free. 

At the heels of the success of last year's "Zion," one of their best selling records, it's natural to see four tracks lifted from "Zion" for the remixed treatment. "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)" which spent an unprecedented 13 weeks on Billboard's no.1 Christian chart gets reprised here twice. The Lark remix of "Oceans" (which was already released last year as one of the tracks on the "Oceans" EP) gives an atmospheric realism to what is already a sublime song.  "Oceans," for the unacquainted, is a graphic re-telling of the Biblical story of Jesus beckoning his disciples to walk on water.  By adding the spaced out pauses, the ethereal keyboard riffs that call to mind crashing of the waves by the sea makes us feel like we are standing right there on the shores hearing our Master's invitation to come to Him.  The pummel of the electronic drums leads us into an epic drama of spiritual warfare in the carefully crafted "Love is War."  Also, originally from "Zion" is "Scandal of Grace."  This Chat Howart Remixof "Scandal" utilizes a cacophony of sounds creating a mysterious aural so befitting of the song's lyrics which speaks of the paradoxical nature of Christ's death on the Cross. 

Taken originally from "All of the Above" is Brooke Ligertwood (Fraser)'s "Hosanna."  Here the Tim Yagolnikov Remix wisely explores the song's eschatological focused lyrics of seeing the King coming in glory.  Everything from the thumping drums to the purposeful pauses build within the song that majestic coming of Jesus that makes the singing of this classic even more anticipatory.  While the current single "Like an Avalanche (Eric Owyoung Remix)" takes advantage of the contrasting use of sounds from the bombastic to the softer whispers to create how God's grace crashes into our lives like an avalanche.  Almost sounding like a new song is "From the Inside Out (Black Rodeo Mix)" with its use of echo like reverbs and Auto-voicing.  However, not every remix works.  One misses the raw stadium rock accessibility of "With Everything" which first appeared on Hillsong Live's "This is Our God."  The newer updated sound somehow pilfers "With Everything" of that immediacy. 

For those who plan on purchasing the CD version of this album, one has to say a word about the inlay booklet.  Considering that Hillsong United is trying to move its focus away from the individual worship leaders to the songs themselves, one can understand that there are no photos of the team in the CD booklet.  But the writers' credit together with the songs' lyrics are printed in a font size so small, it's hardly readable. This definitely is not conducive for those of us who like to sing along in worship.  Other than such quibbles, "the White Album" is more than just a collection of United's songs. Rather, it's a fresh re-reading of some of their favorite songs in ways that are fresh, exciting and never pedestrian.

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