Get Your Music - and everything else - on Amazon! All purchases made on Amazon through this link earn a commission for Jesusfreakhideout.com!
Get Your Music - and everything else - on Amazon! All purchases made on Amazon through this link earn a commission for Jesusfreakhideout.com!

JFH Indie Review

JFH Indie Music Spotlight Review

Amanda Danziger & Filipe Michael
CLICK COVER TO ENLARGE


Amanda Danziger & Filipe Michael
Seasons EP

Artist Info: Discography
Album length: 5 tracks: 16 minutes, 20 seconds
Style: Devotional Worship / Cinematic / Rock
Street Date: November 4, 2022
Official Site: AmandaDanziger.com



Amanda Danziger has been such a delight for me since I first discovered her music in 2021 with “Don’t Look Back” ending up on my Top 10 songs list for the year. Naturally, I was excited to hear that she was releasing another EP in 2022. Seasons -- a collaborative effort with Filipe Michael who assisted in writing and producing/mixing the project -- is a 5-track set with an instrumental opener for the four songs on display. Each song represents one of the seasons starting with winter and working to fall. The soundscape for each song is incredible, but Danziger just seems to have knack for creating this type of sound. However, what’s interesting, and almost easy to miss if you aren’t paying attention, are the subtleties in introducing each season. “Vindicate” (winter) opens with a windy winter storm, “Prison Walls” (spring) starts with rain and thunder, “Refining Fire” (summer) begins with a crackling fire, and the sound of someone walking on freshly fallen leaves ushers in “Be Still” (fall).

“Seasons” is an instrumental track that sets the mood for the remainder of the album. It’s mostly a piano driven song, but also features the sounds of each season. The ticking clock is also utilized as a percussive instrument, which does a great job of symbolizing the moving of time throughout the seasons. Right off the bat, “Vindicate” highlights Danziger’s incredible voice. It’s so entrancing and seems to draw me into her music immediately. The music is driven largely by an acoustic guitar, but as the song progresses, a lot of atmosphere is added with other instrumentation and electronics. “Prison Walls” is arguably the best and most diverse song present. Danziger uses the term “cinematic” to describe her sound and this may capture that aspect better than anything else. The soft piano opening gives way to pounding toms and an overdriven electric guitar hook with a melody that’s super catchy. The simple yet powerful lyrics also standout as Danziger sings, “These prison walls come down when I sing. Hallelujah, my chains are gone. You break the walls down when I sing.” “Refining Fire” is another softer song that relies on atmospheric music to set the scene, and does a great job of incorporating the fire sounds that can be heard into the heart and message of the song. The EP ends with “Be Still” which proclaims, “Be still and know that He is God and know that He is good.” The lyrics talk of how God can calm the storms of our lives and also focuses on His power and glory. It’s a beautiful closer that once again matches the season up to the underlying message impressively.

Amanda Danziger is really pushing the boundaries of what worship music is and can be. Nothing on this EP “sounds” like what we know as “worship music,” but the lyrics seem to lift up Christ in a more real way. The music is captivating, and the vocals and melodies do so much to get the best out of each song. The EP is put together with a lot of forethought and you can easily see the effort put in from both Danziger and Michael. Seasons would be a great listen to get away from the coming holiday madness for some quiet reflection and time of worship. The world may not know it yet, but Amanda Danziger is a star. Her heart for the music and for worshipping our Creator just make the experience that much better. Hopefully her new deal with Integrity Music's indie distribution can get her music to a wider audience.

- Review date: 11/4/22, written by Michael Weaver of Jesusfreakhideout.com



(JFH Sponsor Spot)

Check out JFH's Lloyd in his first-ever childrens book!

 

. Record Label: Integrity Music
. Album length: 5 tracks: 16 minutes, 20 seconds
. Street Date: November 4, 2022
. Buy It: iTunes
. Buy It: Retailer Links

  1. Seasons (1:20)
  2. Vindicate (3:59)
  3. Prison Walls (4:15)
  4. Refining Fire (2:55)
  5. Be Still (3:52)

 

 

 

 

go to main Indie review page
go to Indie Review Index

 

                 
Check out JFH's Lloyd in his first-ever childrens book!

Search JFH



This Sunday, February 2, 2025
SINGLES
His Kingdom Suffers Lord Open My Eyes - Single [The Charon Collective]

This Friday, February 7, 2025
ALBUMS
Ryan Ellis It's Gonna Be Alright, Better Days Are Coming - EP [Provident]
Impending Doom Towards the Light - EP (independent)
JOHNNYSWIM When The War is Over (independent)
Living Fire Christ Supremacy [Thumper Punk Records]
Leigh Nash The Tide, Vol. 2 - EP [Visionary]
Pyramid Park Cyclones & Silence (independent)
Wilder Woods Curioso [Dualtone]

SINGLES
Alexxander Tres Deseos - Single [Reach]
Anchor Hymns Where Can I Go That My Maker Won't Be? - Single [Integrity]
Luke Barbosa Cinnamon - Single (independent)
The Belonging Co A New Eden (Live) [feat. Lauren Sloat] - Single [Capitol CMG]
bodie whisper and the wind (feat. Gracie Binion) - Single [Provident]
Brennley Brown Sanctuary - Single [Provident]
Steven Curtis Chapman Forever the Love of My Life - Single [The Fuel]
for KING & COUNTRY 40 - Single [Capitol CMG]
Forrest Frank SUNRISE - Single (independent)
Free Worship Una Y Otra Vez - Single [BEC]
FYR FYTR Father Time - Single (independent)
Gather Worship The Image - Single [Integrity]
GRAND MOTEL I Have Come To Set The World On Fire, And I Wish It Were Already Burning! - Single (independent)
Jason Gray Sparrows Acoustic - Single [Centricity]
Matt Hammitt No Matter the Cost - Single (independent)
Benjamin William Hastings If It Wasn't for Jesus (from the Studio) - Single [Capitol CMG]
ICF Worship New Heights - Single [Integrity]
KB We Still Believe (HLY Forever) - Single [Provident]
The Kingsmen I'm Saved - Single [Horizon]
Brandon Lake Hard Fought Hallelujah (feat. Jelly Roll) - Single [Provident]
Tasha Layton Faithful Still - Single [BEC]
LIFE Worship He's My God - Single [Integrity]
Vic Lucas P31 - Single [Syntax]
MIAJAIRIAN Help Me God - Single [Syntax]
Kevi Morse Hyper Focus - Single [Syntax]
Tenielle Neda Wisdom of the Cross - Single (independent)
Tommee Profitt Lost (feat. Sam Tinnesz, Billy Ray Cyrus) - Single [Capitol CMG]
River Valley AGES Best Thing - Single [BEC]
Tommy Royale Bandera - Single [Capitol CMG]
Rusty Shipp All Aboard! - Single (independent)
Xander Sallows Highlight - Single [DREAM]
Matt Sassano Not Unreachable - Single (independent)
Small Voice The Ring - Single (independent)
Solachi Voz Double Helix - Single [Syntax]
TAYA One and Only - Single [Capitol CMG]
TobyMac Can't Stop Me - Single [Capitol CMG]
Visitor Pass Hope We Die - Single (independent)
We Are Messengers Somewhere In Her Dreams - Single [Curb]

Next Friday, February 14, 2025
ALBUMS
Marvin Sapp If I Were an R&B Singer - EP [Elev8]
Sidewalk Prophets Looking Up [Curb]
Denison Witmer Anything At All [Asthmatic Kitty]

SINGLES
7eventh Time Down His Mercy is More - Single [BEC]
Diatheke The Creator - Single [Rottweiler]
Fine China Fraught With Danger - Single [Velvet Blue]
Olivia Lane Who God Says You Are - Single [BEC]
Abe Yellen Float Streams - Single [Support Staff/DREAM]



For all release dates, click here!
 

Check out the newest JFH Metal compilation - FREE!
Get JFH's 13th free indie compilation now!
Check out depositphotos for royalty free images