Zion broadens Hillsong United’s sonic palette as it revisits scriptural themes with a sense of immediacy and spiritual grandeur. While the album has blazing pop/rock moments (most notably “Relentless”), the tracks more often have a solemn and expansive quality inviting contemplation as well as upbeat praise. The sweeping synths and mystical atmosphere of “Love Is War,” “Nothing Like Your Love," and “Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)” fuse subtle textures and enraptured lyrics to convey God's limitless majesty. Zion finds fresh ways to celebrate redemption: the acoustic-centered “Scandal of Grace” is particularly striking in its depiction of Christ’s sacrifice. From the stately, brooding rhythm undergirding “Tapestry” to the light R&B accents lending energy to “A Million Suns,” Hillsong invokes classic hymnody while incorporating elements of indie rock and electronica. Of course, these creative gestures are all in the service of the group’s redemptive message, captured in widescreen colors on the closing track, “King of Heaven.”
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