Chillout-The Worship Experience and Chillout-A Time to Worship attempt to introduce a new musical style to the Christian culture: chillout. Christian artists have attempted electronic music in the past, but it has never gained a strong following. With the Chillout discs, producers Andy and Wendy Green hope to inspire worship through the relaxed mood of the music. "It's sometimes difficult in our busy world to stop, slow down and spend time with God, just one on one. These albums came out of that longing to be in God's presence and to soak in his love."
According to Wordspy.com, chillout as a genre is relatively new. Its name comes from the music that one would listen to after going to a rave or listening to techno for long periods of time. Usually mellow and calming, the music would strive to soothe the soul. And as Jim Farber puts it, "Who would have thought a term coined for such an underground and illicit ritual would one day morph into a TV-driven, mass-market phenomenon?"
One would also think this phenomenon, post-rave recovery music, wouldn't fit well within the Christian lifestyle. (But remember that John Wesley used bar tunes for the basis of many of the hymns we still sing today.) In Wesley's redemptive legacy, the creators of the Chillout worship series attempt to use a secular sound for a sacred objective.
For the most part, both discs are filled with modern worship songs. Scattered throughout are covers of classic Christian songs ("I Can Only Imagine," "Jesus Freak"), as well as semi-secular songs by artists like Bob Dylan and U2. A few of the tracks, i.e. "Jesus Freak," seem to interrupt the flow of the disc. I found myself worried more about the remix of the song than focusing on the worship that the song intended. Otherwise, the Chillout series is a nice collection of well-known songs laid over a new beat.
3.5 tocks
