You Are Love

You Are Love finds this Australian singer/songwriter once again offering sensitive, richly-melodic praise tunes with a personal spin. Though she is known for her dynamic presence as a worship leader, Zschech’s vulnerable vocal style and softly rhythmic phrasing works well in more intimate studio situations. “I Will Wait” and “Hope for Humanity” — both collaborations with gospel innovator Israel Houghton — stand out for their lightly R&B-inflected singing and unadorned reverence. “Saving Me,” another Zschech/Houghton tune, injects some upbeat pop/rock energy into the album, matching a joyful praise message with a bouncing keyboard line. Delicate guitar and a churning shuffle groove define “We Are Your People,” while “Faithful” adds a techno-beat undercurrent. The album’s tender title song and “Face to Face” (a hymn of spiritual longing sung with popular Australian artist Barry Southgate) are among the most lyrically powerful tracks here. Free of glitz and bombast, You Are Love is a deeply-felt song collection that ranks with Zschech’s best work.