Antiphon

stellar.

     

The simple piano that begins the album belies the tremendous depth of this latest effort by Coram Deo Ensemble. Jeff Johnson's meticulous and fluid layering create an atmosphere of beauty that marries organic instrumentation (violin, piano and flute) with absolutely beautiful vocal talent (male and female). The combination of Mark Gremm's and Janet Chvatal's voices on the third track (God Alone Suffices) is truly otherworldly, while Brian Dunning's delicate flute work is always nuanced—sometimes delicate and sometimes powerful. There are touches of electronic instrumentation as well, and these add to the sense of reverence and peace, adding layers of calm, or insinuations of power. Perhaps most notably, the album works as an album—the ebb and flow, the give and take of these musicians is nothing short of spectacular. A beautiful album of sacred music that exudes peace, reverence, beauty and worship without ever sounding forced or stale.