Hillsong Music Australia / Capitol Christian Music Group
Release Date: February 8th 2019
Reviewed by Joshua Andre
Hillsong UNITED– As You Find Me EP (Amazon mp3/iTunes)
Track Listing:
- As You Find Me
- Whole Heart (Hold Me Now)
- Good Grace
Hillsong UNITED, well actually Hillsong in all of its 3 facets (Worship, UNITED, Young & Free), need no introduction. If you haven’t heard of them, then shame on you! No, not really, I’m just joking- but in all seriousness you do need to check out their discographies on Wikipedia (at your own pace!) here, here and here– and you can read about all of our posts on Hillsong Worship, UNITED, and Young and Free in the links here, here and here, and when you’ve finished, you maybe can gain all the knowledge of the worship movement that’s been around for literally decades!
Whether you believe in Jesus Christ or not, chances are that you definitely would have heard about this previously small Australian church group now turned global megachurch worship movement, spanning 3 incarnations (Worship, UNITED and Young & Free) and counting, plenty of inspiring singles, no 1 top hits on both Christian and mainstream charts and a plethora of studio and live albums. If you don’t know the name of the group, I am sure some songs will be familiar. With the UNITED branch of the worship ministry originating in 1998, we have been blessed to hear so far 11 live albums and 5 studio albums (All Of The Above, Aftermath, ZION, Empires and Wonder). With Hillsong being one of the most popular, respected, prolific and inventive worship movements of all time; their music has touched the lives of many locally and globally. And since its inception, this young worship team have carried on the church’s mission and vision to lift the name of Jesus above all others.
In 2017 the band unveiled Wonder, a surprise album spawning the hits “Wonder”, “So Will I (100 Billion X)” and “Not Today” amongst others. So now that it’s 2019, I guess it’s natural to assume that UNITED’s new album will surface this year- I mean the standard length for artists to release albums is around 2 years. Except that this time it won’t be a surprise. And that’s because we have recently been blessed with a 3 song EP, titled As You Find Me. Dropping to digital retailers a few weeks ago, these songs are typical Hillsong UNITED at its best. Slow-starting ballads, followed by big, swooping, epic choruses culminating in an anthemic final finish. “Good Grace” follows this trend, as lead singer Joel Houston ardently relays to us that Jesus is madly in love with each of us, and that even if we think we’re unlovable or unsavable based on what we have done; because God is good, this isn’t the case. We aren’t deserving nor worthy of love and forgiveness, but God lavishes His love on us anyway- and that’s pretty cool and surreal. While “Whole Heart [Hold Me Now]” is a piano led ballad led by Taya Smith, as we are met with a prayer, asking God to reveal more of His presence to us, because we need Him desperately in our lives; the title track of the EP is THE only song to listen to from UNITED if you have not heard their music before! Yep, that’s how seriously good this track is- I reckon it’ll be as big as “Oceans” or “So Will I”, but who am I to say that? Listen to the song and be amazed by lead singer Tulele Faletolu’s passion and heart for Jesus!
It is not known when UNITED will record another studio album or a live album (because these 3 tracks are in fact, live!) but until we are graced with a full length album from Taya, Joel, Matt, Jad, JD and others (it’s gotta be this year, right?), let us jam to these live melodies, and worship Jesus, praising His name and proclaiming His goodness! I am positive that these 3 songs- and maybe others from their untitled album- will take off in a big way, either sometime soon this year or early next year… so well done to Taya, Jad, Joel, JD and Matt; As You Find Me EP is due for many more spins and rotations in my iTunes playlist!
Score: 4.5/5
RIYL: Hillsong Worship, Vertical Worship, Hillsong Young & Free, Planetshakers, Jesus Culture, Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman