(Photo :Landa "My Blessings")

Often Gospel music has been painted with the predictable brushstrokes of traditional choral shout outs or a Christianized whisk of the kind of Hip Hop Beyonce, Ciara and Kelly Rowland are wiggling to.  Landa is a palette cleanser.  Instead of chasing the latest trend or get stymied in tradition she has wiped the slate clean with her burnished brand of neo-soul Gospel with influences of jazz, old school R&B and pop.  Her supple voice has that emotional vulnerability that is rare in many artists.  Her lyrics are startling confessional yet possessing the theological depth of Yolanda Adams or Shirley Caesar.  And her vocal presence stipples with the demonstration of the Holy Spirit as we are led to worship via these songs.  Landa first dabble in music was secular where she and her producer (now husband) Jjuan released a highly successful R&B debut record.  But like many entertainments, Landa was caught up in the hedonistic trappings of the business.  As a result of her high indulgence of drugs and fast living, Landa almost lost her life.  And such became God's wake-up call for her to leave for flagrant lifestyle for something greater:  to sing for the Lord through the release of her sophomore album "My Blessings."

This is not a record that stands aloof from the average listener.  Rather, from the inviting laughter at the start of album opener "Shout," Landa invites us into the studio as we give praise to the Savior together with her.  Soon we would be singing with Landa especially on the reggae-tiled title cut "My Blessings" which has that infectious line:  "When praise goes up blessings come down."   And taking the familiar sounds of the B3 organ and some 70s funk, Landa brings us to church with "The Son," a straight-shooter of praise directed to the Son of God.  Old school Gospel continues with the half-preached & half-sung Charismatic percussion-clomping "Gimme a Word."  "Gimme a Word" is a spiritual plea for God to break our desert of silence with his utterances.  Instead of wasting our times on so much ingenuity each day, this is the kind of prayers we need to fervently beg for.

But the finest moments are when Landa slips into her more tender moments.  The keyboard driven ballad "Change" is song that deserves to be listened to slowly and meditatively.  Here is the reason:  often we have prayed for change.  But changes can never be brought about by our own strength.  Unless the Spirit instigates it, no change can ever be permanent.  Thus, a lesson can be leant from Landa on how we need to rely on the Holy Spirit in prayer.  Hoping into a time warp back to the 70s is the retro-sounding "Freedom."  The chirping bird introduction and the atmospheric backings call to mind Minnie Riperton in her heydays.  "Chasing You" (not the new Bethel Music single of the same name but a Landa original) takes on the melody on an idyllic R&B stroll that makes worship sounds so mesmerising.  While "New Worship" has an impromptu feel that has a more nebulous melodic line relative to the other ballads.

Landa is more than just your average Gospel artist.  Her musical style has a way of painting across an array of styles that is inimitable.  Her grooves will get you dancing and singing to the Lord that is worshipful.  And her words are thoughtful and Spirit-filled that will get us loving God more and more with our hearts and minds.