Charmaine Love Reality

From the first track to the last track, 'Love Reality' is a soaring sonic rush of gorgeous strings and throbbing techno beats. But if the lush production serves to draw you in, it's Charmaine's sweet, supple vocals and passionately Christian perspective that gives you a reason to listen closer. After an eight-year absence from recording, the Australian singer/songwriter adopts a bold electronica-based sound reminiscent of Kylie Minogue at her most aggressive. Charmaine taps into these relentless grooves to drive home an all-embracing message of love and personal transformation. Tracks like 'Run,' 'Epiphany' and the title tune capture a sense of delirious surrender, wrapping timeless spiritual themes in day-glo colors. Charmaine shows herself capable of warm, nuanced singing in 'Tokyo' (a travel excursion set to a surging shuffle) and 'Not Fair' (a big symphonic ballad with the urgent throb of a Donna Summer hit). Whether she's singing with a breathy edge or rising to dramatic heights, Charmaine remains a compelling presence no matter how grand the arrangements get.