Album Review: Above & Beyond – Group Therapy (2011)

If at all possible, Above & Beyond may have waited five years to release their latest studio album because the amount of compassion, genuineness, sincerity, truth, subtleness, and sheer dedication that went into “Group Therapy” is not something to be taken lightly. With their signature sound United Kingdom natives, Jono Grant, Paavo Siljamaki, and Tony McGuinness have done it again. The masterminds behind Anjunabeats and OceanLab bring you their latest 2011 release “Group Therapy”. The 15-track masterpiece is filled with emotion, intensity and just the right amount of subtlety making it suitable for any mood. Whether heading to the beach, or getting ready to hit the club, Group Therapy is full of 2011 electronic dance music anthems.

Joined again by vocalist Richard Bedford on the album’s “On My Way To Heaven”, “Every Little Beat“, and “Black Room Boy” with the groups own Tony McGuinness, these tracks are sure to hit home for most listeners. Responsible for two of the biggest dance music anthems of 2011 thus far, Above & Beyond along with Bedford released “Sun & Moon” and “Thing Called Love” which have gained the support of DJs such as Armin Van Buuren, Ferry Corsten, Sander Van Doorn, Gareth Emery and Cosmic Gate as well as dominated radio play and music charts. With tracks “Alchemy”, “You Got To Go“, “Giving It Out“, “Love Is Not Enough”, “Sweetest Heart“, and “Only A Few Things” the trio collaborated once again with Zoe Johnston. Johnston’s voice, which cannot be mistaken, provides a calming touch to the album.

With the perfect culmination of symphonic melodies, blissful uplifting vocals, and soothing baselines, the melodic sounds showcased in Group Therapy are sure to not go unnoticed. The depth found within the lyrics of the tracks on Group Therapy, not only represent real life, but also dabble into the depths of philosophy and the meaning of life and death. Although Group Therapy focuses mostly on vocals one should not be fooled. “Filmic“, “Prelude”, and “External”, three of the albums non-vocal tracks will have you feeling as though you’re soaring. The other instrumental track on the album, which features only a faint vocal phrase “Sun In Your Eyes“, was written for one of the artists’ newborn sons. Group Therapy will make you smile one minute and have you crying the next. The expressiveness found on each of the albums tracks will only leave you wanting more. Be prepared to set your playlist to repeat for 2011′s graceful return of Above & Beyond with Group Therapy, a must have for any dance music fan.

Tracklist:
01. Filmic
02. Alchemy (feat. Zoe Johnston)
03. Sun & Moon (feat. Richard Bedford)
04. You Got To Go (feat. Zoe Johnston)
05. Black Room Boy (vocals by Tony McGuinness and Richard Bedford)
06. Giving It Out (feat. Zoe Johnston)
07. On My Way To Heaven (feat. Richard Bedford)
08. Prelude
09. Sun In Your Eyes
10. Love is Not Enough (feat. Zoe Johnston)
11. Every Little Beat (feat. Richard Bedford)
12. Sweetest Heart (feat. Zoe Johnston)
13. Thing Called Love (feat. Richard Bedford)
14. Only a Few Things (feat. Zoe Johnston)
15. Eternal

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About the Author

Angela Samartano Angela has been dancing since before she could walk. As a technically trained dancer for the past 20 years, Angela has always had an affinity for bass heavy beats and uplifting trance melodies. Holding a Bachelors of Science in Advertising and Marketing Communications from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, she has an extensive online journalism background and is current Editor in Chief of EDM Insider. Besides her personal twitter, she is the face behind the @EDMinsider Twitter account.