Various Artists - I'm on My Journey Home: Sacred Harp Singing, 1928-1934 (2016)

The music label DINTE has unveiled an important archival release under the catalog number DEATH013—a compilation titled "I’m on My Journey Home: Sacred Harp Singing, 1928-1934". This release marks the label's first deep dive into the phenomenon of Sacred Harp Singing. This direction represents a distinctive tradition of sacred choral music that originally originated in the northeastern United States in New England, but found its true development and deepest roots in the American Deep South, evolving into a unique element of local indigenous culture.

The essence of this musical phenomenon lies in the strict a cappella performance of religious hymns, offering a completely pure form of songcraft without any instrumental accompaniment. The curators at DINTE conducted meticulous work with 20th-century archives to carefully restore recordings spanning from 1928 to 1934. Moving far beyond the boundaries of strictly church communities in Georgia and Alabama, these choral chants transformed into a vital cultural artifact of the American South. The music of the compilation possesses a powerful therapeutic and historical effect: the poignant choral songs, filled with genuine devotion and hope, literally transport the listener to a bygone era, allowing them to connect with the authentic lives of people from the past.

Tracklist:
1-1 The Denson Quartet - I'm on My Journey Home [3:22]
1-2 Denson-Parris Sacred Harp Singers - The Good Old Way [2:40]
1-3 Alabama Sacred Harp Singers - Religion Is a Fortune [2:55]
1-4 Allison's Sacred Harp Singers - Sweet Prospect [2:29]
1-5 Allison's Sacred Harp Singers - Weeping Pilgrim [2:36]
1-6 Alabama Sacred Harp Singers - Rocky Road [2:50]
1-7 Georgia Sacred Harp Singers - Windham [2:59]
1-8 Dye's Sacred Harp Singers - How Firm a Foundation [2:52]
1-9 Denson's Sacred Harp Singers of Arley Alabama - Protection [2:20]
1-10 Middle Georgia Singing Convention No. 1 - Bells of Love [2:51]
1-11 The OKeh Atlanta Sacred Harp Singers - Return Again [3:18]
1-12 Huggins & Phillips Sacred Harp Singers - Blooming Youth [2:53]