New Artist Spotlight - Zealand Worship

Today, I got an interesting announcement in my inbox. I subscribe to Phil Joel's email newsletter that updates me on all things in his music. I really like him because of his tenure with the Newsboys (he is best known for singing the verses on "Entertaining Angels"), but I've been curious to know what he's up to as of late. I found out for the first time today that he has started a new worship project called Zealand Worship. I immediately went to their website and looked for any music they had made available. Upon listening to the four tracks there, I decided to initiate a new section for my blog: New Artist Spotlight. I'll be doing these infrequently to highlight new artists, Christian and otherwise, that I find particularly appealing and intriguing.

Zealand Worship fits this bill pretty well. They have a sound rooted in the mid-2000s "we want to sound like U2 but not make it too obvious" worship music but with a slight electronic edge to it. You may say that every worship artist of the now has done that; however, what separates Zealand Worship from the norm of this group are little bits and pieces that show that they are more musically proficient than the average bear. On very few occassions do they have a standard feel that is in the box. This because of one portion of their band: the drums and percussion. I have not a clue what the drummer's name is, but I do know this: a reliance on syncopation is a good thing. I won't lecture you on music theory, but to make the long short, this guy knows how to make otherwise in-the-box music a little offbeat (quite literally). He also uses little flourishes of wind chimes and other infrequently used instruments on occassion, being mildly inventive with his sound.

Otherwise, I find Zealand Worship perfectly fine. They are broadly appealing and have that vibe that says "we want to be popular but still be a little unique." Typically, these bands are a little off-putting because they come off a little pretentious. However, Phil Joel's newest project comes off as incredibly earnest and sincere. I encourage you all to go like them on Facebook, subscribe to their newsletter on their website, and support them in whatever way you can.