D.L. Gilbert - I Have Destiny
Christian/Gospel, Contemporary Gospel
Florida, United States
Overall Impression: "I Have Destiny" is the latest inspirational release from veteran gospel recording artist, D.L. Gilbert. After an acapella intro, "I Have Destiny" launches into an exciting, uptempo groove that's reminiscent of 1980's funk, complete with analog synths and blistering guitar. The band gives a truly electrifying performance here, and Gilbert's own exceptionally spirited vocals are further strengthened by an exciting call and response with the choir, and features a great spoken word breakdown that places the listener squarely in front of the pulpit. Gospel fans will certainly find a lot to love about D.L. Gilbert's "I Have Destiny", as should a broad swath of funk and soul audiences as well.
Strongest Point(s): Solid production, decent mix. Outstanding arrangement, plenty of variation and dynamic range. Wonderful vocal performance, amazing energy. The band is really hot, such a great groove. The instrumentation really screams Prince, circa 1982, from the drum sounds to the synth tones, all the way to the distorted guitar. It's a great retro sound that never goes out of fashion. Lyrically its very strong. Great use of repetition with the word "destiny." I feel that even secular audiences would be able to draw inspiration from this track, thanks to the performances and the sheer amount of power and soul on display. Fantastic song, very nice work!
Target Audience Appeal: Fans of Contemporary Christian Music, Gospel, Contemporary Gospel, Funk, Soul
Artist target suggestions: Kirk Franklin, Lamar Campbell, Desmond Pringle, William Becton, Prince, Morris Day, Fred Hammond, The Brothers Johnson, Johnny "Guitar" Watson, The Isley Brothers, Kurt Carr, Hezekiah Walker, Robert Randolph
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About the Reviewer:
Steven Azami is a multi-instrumentalist with over 25 years of experience in the music industry. Both as a touring/session player and as a producer, his career has spanned nearly every genre, from bluegrass to jazz, from rock to reggae. In addition, his work as a music educator has allowed him to cultivate and foster talent among the next generation of musical explorers