Awake the Dawn Hearkens to an Older Time with Contemporary Themes
In a mashup of what sounds like liturgical music that hearkens to bygone era, the marshmallow soft vocals of Audrey Assad, and a distant love for Enya, Sarah Finegan presents a record that is at times verging into the choirs of nuns, and other times is a feast of lullabies for the soul with Awake the Dawn. Largely produced, arranged and performed by Sarah Finegan, this album offers a collection of songs that are steeped in worship and scriptural references, which is excellent for meditative private worship.
Relying on well developed vocal arrangements punctuated by mournful saxophone and grooving bass lines, songs like “Your Ways are Higher,” and “Will You Speak” marry some modern sounds to keep it from drifting too far into the ambient genre. Many of the songs on the rest of Awake the Dawn are similar in tempo and feel to Enya’s Shephard Moons album from the 1990s, but without the elaborate production. Here, Sarah Finegan relies upon the integrity of the songs and the words contained within to minister to the spirit. There’s a dreamlike quality within “Psalm 103 (Awake the Dawn” and “Come Soon Lord Jesus” which lulls the listener into a tranquil state. Sarah finishes her album with “I Will See Your Goodness,” a hopeful tune that hearkens towards the relationship with God and confidence in relationship between the promises of God and the believer.
Now the question: should you get this?
If you are looking for positive music that you can play during nap time, a meditative CD filled with music that is similar to Enya, but empowering with the Gospel, then yes!
Awake the Dawn is definitely worth at least a spin, or two, maybe three.
Click on image below to download Awake the Dawn
