"Imagine intimate worship around the glow of embers and friendship. Imagine church as a shared celebration of our stories, struggles and lives. And imagine mission as the ignition of God's people as they huddle closely around 'The Consuming Fire.' With Campfire, a 12-track collection recorded live on a beach in Northern Ireland, Rend Collective Experiment dare us to re-imagine worship and community." I wish that I could have been on the beach to experience this recording. Having listened to this album the last two weeks, there is something so unique, fresh, and special in the music. Even being on the other side of the Atlantic ocean with time having passed since this moment was recorded, the spirit of worship that encompasses this recording can't help but be felt and in turn draws you into worship as if you were on the beach around that very same campfire. The songs on this project will be familiar if you've listened to Rend Collective Experiment's previous two albums, Organic Family Hymnal and Homemade Worship by Handmade People. You will however notice new instrumentation as well as new arrangements. One new song they add to this album is a version of Matt Redman's song "10,000 Reasons." This album comes across as pure worship through music. It's not about the performance or production; no fancy lights, no smoke, no loud sound system. It is the church, the body of Christ, coming together to lift up praises to God through music.
"The album is entirely driven by classic, retro folk instruments that could be played by the fireside and by the ocean. The result is an album that captures the raw, rootsy, foot-stomping energy of the Irish worshippers, which has been infectious among audiences across the globe, as well as the vulnerability and intimacy of home group worship."
Special thanks to Integrity Music for providing this complimentary pre-release album to listen to and review. You can download the album here on iTunes.
