[Music] In Christ Alone – Anchor Hymns

Cogito July 29, 2022 2 min read 1

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Anchor Hymns is the latest Integrity Music multi-artist project which was unveiled last month with a debut single. Starting with reaching into the past, the initial releases will cover some of Integrity’s most iconic songs and reframe them in a modern and musical way; now taking on one of the most enduring hymns of recent years as their second single, ‘In Christ Alone’.

Written by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend, this song has spread far and wide within the global church as it tells the good news of Jesus Christ so richly and succinctly: “from life’s first cry, to final breath.” This Anchor Hymns version of ‘In Christ Alone’ features established artist and liturgist Sandra McCracken as well as singer-songwriter Antoine Bradford, whose voices blend beautifully on a warm and blues-y soundscape.

Commenting on the arrangement of the new single that includes an improvised musical section, Sandra McCracken hopes that, “our interpretation of this hymn will help to be able to be sung in more churches, even with simple instrumentation.”

‘In Christ Alone’ has been a pillar in the Church’s song book and Anchor Hymns hope to continue the trend, as Antoine says that it “echoes the goodness of God in the face of Jesus Christ… it’s in Him alone that lasting fulfilment and eternal hope are found.” The heart behind Anchor Hymns being to create songs of substance from both a lyrical, theological, and musical frame shines through their second release.

Concluding with a nod to what it yet to come, Sandra McCracken notes, “Anchor Hymns is a special collaboration […] I love seeing this diverse community of musicians come together around a desire to write and celebrate hymns of the faith.” This new version of ‘In Christ Alone’ hints that something new is happening here…

“In Christ Alone” is available now.