If you’ve ever wondered what love sounds like, I think I’ve found it in the form of Chris & Gileah‘s new self-titled debut.

I’m not talking about love as a special moment in time. Not the puppy love hullabaloo you can sing about for 3 minutes and 30 seconds and forget about… I’m talking about real life love. The kind that hurts as much as it heals. The kind that’s a journey in and of itself. The kind that grows old together.

I’m talking about the kind that binds Chris & Gileah.

This duo has been married for a decade but each holds their own weight as solo artists…with impressive careers under their belts.

Chris was discovered during the days of Myspace talent hunting which sent him flying through a world of big record deals, non-stop touring, and co-writing sessions with Nashville’s finest songwriters. He gave it all up for his family.

After marriage, “I quit music, my priorities shifted,” he says today. “I had a great label and so many opportunities, but I felt a commitment to be married and be there for my daughter. I didn’t want to be that guy that came back in time for his daughter’s birth, and then just went back out on the road.”

Respect.

Gileah’s singing and songwriting has been critically acclaimed earning her features in major media such as Paste and Relevant. She never stopped writing and much of this album was inspired by Chris and the feelings he dealt with after giving up “the dream”.

Throughout the rollercoaster ride of Chris’s career, Gileah remained an active and prolific artist. “It was a strange time,” she confides. “I was doing what I had always done as an artist, but here I was with a baby watching Chris’s career. It was complicated. I was so proud of him but, still, there was a struggle within me.”

Never intending to record an album together, Gileah asked Chris to sing a verse to a song-in-progress as he passed through the living room one unsuspecting day…

 “I said to him, ‘sing this verse for me,’” Gileah says playfully. “He did and it was like ‘oooohhhh’, it was like an angel singing!”

This song became “Love On This Island”. You can view the video above.

The 10 songs on this record takes us through the nuances of life, love, and relationships. Delivered over a smooth sound bed of vibrant alt-folk-pop frequencies, Chris & Gileah fit in well with known bands such as Death Cab for Cutie, The Civil Wars, or The Innocence Mission.

This is a real album written by real people experiencing real emotions and that is what makes it is so beautiful. It is as much healing as it is insightful and inspiring. This is the kind of love you never give up.

Pre-order your copy of the album then connect with the duo on FB or Twitter.