Okay. Deep Breath.
Above.
&.
Beyond.
Possibly one of my favorite groups of all time. They're not a traditional group (i.e. an acoustic group) although all three members are musicians, and have indeed gone on all-acoustic tours (I've been to an Above & Beyond acoustic concert and it was sublime! I'll post videos and commentary at some future date). They are music producers, composers, and DJs in the trance music scene in Europe, based in England. But their message and their music has a universality and beauty that transcends mere pop music and any understanding of “the music scene” that we may think we have.
They are a threesome: Jono Grant, Paavo Siljamäki, and Tony McGuinness. Their music can have the distinctive “trance beat” but also works beautifully acoustically.
There is so much that I can offer as examples of classic Above & Beyond tracks, as the trio has been composing and releasing music since the early 2000s, so I won't try to cram it into a weekend. Above & Beyond has become an important part of my musical life in many ways, and I'll continue to share their music as I go forward. They have a terrific internet radio show, “Group Therapy,” available live on YouTube while it streams from London every Friday at 7 pm local time, and with the tracklist also available as a recording on their website and with most of the music available on Spotify.
Let's start with their latest album, Common Ground, referenced above in their album trailer. It's available on YouTube as a continuous mix, and is absolutely splendid to listen to. It's the sort of wonderful, uplifting trance music that you can listen to while working or studying, although you may find yourself staring into space or perhaps discovering ideas that you didn't realize you had!
If you don't have the time or inclination, at least take a look at this splendid music video for “Always,” one of the tracks on Common Ground. Zoe Johnston is a frequent collaborator with Above & Beyond, both with songwriting and her wonderful voice
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