NCWU Alumnus Will Plyler Releases Sci-Fi-Inspired Worship Album
Will Plyler, a 2021 graduate of North Carolina Wesleyan University’s Music Production program, dropped his new album Psalms of the Spheres on Friday, July 17. The record fuses traditional worship with sweeping cinematic soundscapes drawn from science‑fiction lore.
Plyler serves as worship arts minister at The Church at Sandhurst in Florence, South Carolina, and has headed the congregation’s songwriting and production team since completing his degree. His latest project pulls together biblical passages that celebrate God’s creation—Psalm 8, Isaiah 40, and Psalm 147—while inviting listeners to marvel at the cosmos and turn toward the Creator.
The spark for the album came from Plyer’s long‑standing fascination with space travel and films such as Interstellar, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Star Wars. He explained, “I started wondering whether I could combine my love of sci‑fi with my passion for writing worship music.”
Musically, Psalms of the Spheres marks a clear departure from Plyer’s earlier work. The tracks weave orchestral crescendos, ambient textures, experimental synthesizers, and a recording from the Apollo 8 moon mission that is embedded in the opening track. Plyer described the result as a “cinematic sound” and said, “Honestly, this is probably my favorite musical project I’ve ever produced. The theme of science fiction inspired me to pursue musical avenues I haven’t explored before, and that has been an incredibly rewarding process.”
One of the standout songs, “Image of God,” tackles the dignity and worth of every person. Plyer said, “It breaks my heart when I see people who claim to love Jesus and yet mistreat those who are different than they are. No matter what someone believes, what they look like or where they come from, every human being is made in the image of God. The God who created the stars and galaxies is also the God who said each of us is worth dying for.”
The album closes with “Supernatural,” a personal meditation on worship as a source of healing and hope. Plyer reflected, “I often say that writing worship songs is my therapy. When life becomes overwhelming, I sit down with an instrument and write. It’s how I process my thoughts and emotions before God. ‘Supernatural’ is really a love letter to that process—finding peace, freedom and refuge in the melodies that spill out.”
Plyer credits his time at NCWU for building the technical skills and creative confidence that continue to shape his work. He noted that the university’s Music Production program provided a solid foundation for his later projects.
Psalms of the Spheres is now available on major streaming platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music.
The release adds a distinctive entry to the worship music landscape, marrying theological themes with a sonic palette that nods to space exploration and cinematic orchestration. It demonstrates how contemporary worship artists can broaden their creative horizons while keeping biblical content at the core.
For listeners, the album offers a blend of familiar worship melodies and innovative production techniques, highlighting the role of faith‑based musicians in exploring interdisciplinary themes and bridging spiritual messages with cultural references that resonate beyond traditional audiences.
