The existence of God is a question that has been pondered by humans for millennia, and there is no definitive answer. It is a matter of personal belief and faith...

Ultimately, the question of whether God exists is one that each individual must answer for themselves.

-Google’s AI chatbot Gemini, in response to “is God real?”

Well, jury’s out on whether or not God is real. But Heaven definitely is! And its leadoff title-track is certainly heavenly. As “The White Cliffs of Dover” envisioned a post-WWII world of peace, Bebe Winans’ “Heaven” anticipates the celestial realm as a place where “there’s no more use for guns and war.” Over a beat that melds disco, processed Brazilian percussion, funky bass, and glass synth stabs, the brother-sister duo sing their gospel. It’s a masterstroke of pop-R&B and an ultimate 80s time capsule.

Keith Thomas, who later co-wrote Usher’s “Love in This Club”, takes the helm on the music side here, and not all of his tracks are as successful as “Heaven”. “Celebrate New Life” bores in comparison. “Lost Without You”, though, retains the synth magic. Winans’ lyrical odes to God are thinly veiled, but veiled enough that the choosy agnostic can enjoy this as a ballad of lost love. The Whitney Houston-featuring “Hold Up the Light” is another banger, with Bebe quoting the Pledge of Allegiance toward the end (probably the only song you can say that about).

The back half of Heaven is a little less interesting, but things close well with a cover of “Bridge Over Troubled Water” followed (on the CD/streaming version) by a 6-minute extended dub of “Heaven”. The Simon & Garfunkel cover is delightfully ethereal, and the “Heaven” remix is fun, if a bit of a mess. Overall, Heaven rides on the strength of its title track, with some other worthy tracks here and there.

Listen to Heaven here.