I love this album, and I love John Mark McMillan even more. 

As far as record making goes, “Cosmic Supreme” was a joyfully heavy lift — much like “Mercury & Lightning” was nearly a decade ago. John Mark doesn’t compromise or settle. He doesn’t give in to the pressure of label (or even self-imposed) deadlines.  I reckon the both of us are always pushing for the very best outcome on the album at hand. The process of a JMM album is hardly conventional or linear…. and it requires patience. A slow cook. Experimentation, trial and error.  It isn’t always about the project being good, or even great. It just has to be right. 

We tracked the foundation of “Cosmic Supreme” at Echo Mountain in Asheville, NC — a truly spectacular multi-room facility in the mountains of Appalachia. The band & team were perfect for the job, tracking live on the floor for a full week. After our sessions at Echo Mountain we took the project back n forth between my place & JMM’s, shuffling, editing, sometimes deconstructing and reconstructing….  and experienced the discovery of what “Cosmic Supreme” wanted to become.

One doesn’t just “work” on an album like this…. The album also works on you. Cosmic Supreme is a return to wonder, and to worship. It’s JMM doing his best to make a worship album while transcending the genre of worship music itself. And in my opinion it is perhaps the very best work of his career. The songs are vulnerable, poetic - and especially honest and worship-filled.

I’m grateful to you, John Mark. Thank you again for allowing me to be at the helm of this beautiful album. And I’m grateful for the massive team on this album, everyone so vital and crucial to its final outcome. Truly a wonder.

Well done, everyone.