Hyper Static Union bore a lot of hype. “Discovered” by Third Day, produced by Mac Powell, the inaugural release from RKT Music. Do they live up to it? Oh yeah, baby!
"Lifegiver," released this past May, is all that and more. Boldly defying classification, the four band members are focused, joyful craftsmen who bring the proverbial breath of fresh air with their buoyant melodies, genre-melding style, and dazzling vocals.
From the first funkified guitar riffs of the opening title track, you know Hyper Static Union is like nobody else on the scene. Even their name, taken from the theological term "hypostatic union," referring to Jesus' existence as a Being both fully God and fully man, is intelligently unique, much like their sound.
Their song list is one that builds as the album progresses, getting better with each track, which is saying something, because funk-rock "Lifegiver" and radio single "Overhead," with its poppin' bass line and thundering guitars, are both attention-grabbers. I was already enthralled when I got to "Can't Leave It Alone." Its airy harmonies and the free-flowing funk create an irresistible groove, and next track, the worshipful "Free Me" is sheer bliss as it presents the glories of surrender. The vocals are soulful throughout but "Child of His Grace" highlights lead singer Shawn Lewis' wide range, both emotively and sonically, as does the following song, the sly "Good Fight" with its classic rock feel. Closer "Now That It's Over" brings more fuzz over funk, an approach that HSU makes their own, along with more of those sublimely soaring vocals. Keep an ear out for the hidden track six minutes in, a quietly lovely song that floats gently to the closing. All in all, a vastly satisfying and superior debut from Hyper Static Union, a band to watch closely.
