Go back in time one year ago – the dynamic, multicultural youth ministry of Planetshakers Church in Melbourne, Australia holds a conference that breaks down the walls of isolation and loneliness that the world has built so thick. Recorded at the conference, planetboom releases a two-part album titled You, Me, The Church, That’s Us. Side A was released earlier in the year. Side B drops in April (one year after the powerful, life altering conference).
Planetboom is an incredibly diverse youth culture that represents more than 60 nationalities, therefore the group knows a little something about unity, uniqueness and celebrating God’s beauty. Their album is eclectic, but entirely upbeat with a church-electronica vibe driven thumping beats and pulsing rhythms.”With the new album, we would love for people to walk away with their minds opened a little bit to what a praise and worship expression can sound like,” says youth pastor, songwriter, and drummer Andy Harrison. “It is unique from almost anything else in the praise and worship genre. It might surprise people, and they might say, ‘Wow! OK, we can worship God like that, we can praise God like that’.”
By honing in on the diverse backgrounds and musical experiences of the group, planetboom creates a unique space for audiences throughout the world to find an intimate sense of connection and belonging to God’s church. Welcoming everyone into God’s family is the purpose and intent behind this album and so much of what planetboom does as a musical outreach and ministry. “What we’re getting at is that what God has done in each of us individually has joined us to be part of this broader family,” Harrison says. “We have people from every different nationality…standing together, arms around each other.”
You, Me, The Church – That’s Us was so tightly crafted with studio arrangements and live worship, it creates this undeniably intimate and pure experience. The album hits on the dynamics of big, broad outreach from a massive conference experience, yet it still captivates the most internal moment shared between one person and God.
Planetboom Leads You, Me, The Church – That’s Us
Intended to be listened top to bottom, with each song leading purposefully into the next, the albums open with the raucous, rhythmic rapper “The Core” and moves through a varied, yet cohesive set.
Side A moves listeners directly into Side B through the soul soaking last track, “Selah Moment.”
Side B opens into the next phase of praise and worship with “I Will Follow You.”
Harrison explains the Side B opener by stating, “planetboom is unapologetically unashamed of the gospel and the call to lay down our lives to see Christ glorified.” The message of “I Will Follow You” is an invitation to abandon our ideals in life and lay them down so Christ can call us to be fishers of men (Matthew 4:19-20).
“In Luke 9:23, Jesus said, ‘If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me’,” continues Harrison. The heart of this gospel message resonates throughout the rest of the album. Harrison describes the hope and desire of these tracks as, “The declaration of a generation on fire for Jesus: ‘I’m sold out. I’m all in. You died for me, so I’m living for You. I will follow You!’”
The conference, the sound, the album all leads young people to embrace a deeper and more powerful relationship with Christ. Harrison responds by saying, “Everything we are doing is to lead young people to an encounter with God.”
