Above & Beyond – We Are All We Need
4/5
Since forming in 2000, British electronic act Above & Beyond continue to be one of the most successful and active artists in the electronic world with their progressive trance style. After countless singles and remixes, the trio composed of Jono Grant, Tony McGuinness, and Paavo Siljamäki have released their fifth full-length album We Are All We Need.
The opening interlude “Quieter is Louder” gracefully transitions into the hit and title track “We Are All We Need“, which features long-time collaborator Zoë Johnston (who is featured on five songs on the album) on the track that can only be described as melodic and explosive. Washing in and out of EDM–style drops and soft trance vocals, the song is sure to please any electronic music fan. Similarly, “Blue Sky Action“ dips heavily into the EDM style with large drops and dance-inducing melodies.
Staying true to their progressive-trance style, “Counting Down the Days” features the seductive vocals of Gemma Hayes overtop a hypnotic house beat. “Peace of Mind” once again features the angelic songstress Zoë Johnston for a slightly more upbeat trance hit.
Above & Beyond take their EDM abilities to new heights with the hit single “Sticky Fingers“ with energetic drops and bass-thumping rhythm. The purely instrumental track “Hello” is reminiscent of older Above & Beyond, stabilizing the energy and strengthening their trance sound to transition into the dreamy track “Little Something”.
We Are All We Need is not short on hits, with almost every song holding a well-deserved spot on the album. Near the end of the album, B-side tracks such as “All Over the World”, “Fly To New York”, and “Making Plans” slow down the momentum of the album slightly, but are soon replaced by trance hits “Out of Time” and especially the dance-style hit “Excuses”.
“Save Me” resurfaces the album’s intensity, which is a seamless transition into the cinematic “Sink the Lighthouse” which features Alex Vargas (who also appears on five times on the album). Maintaining a slightly slower tempo to bring the album to a close, the bright and resonating tones of “Treasure” sends the listener above and beyond.
We Are All We Need is an entertaining and enjoyable 70 minutes worth of Above & Beyond and does not hold back on hits for both club-goers and headphone users alike. Listen to the full album here.
