Biography
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EnglishCONNECTION. If one word the sums up the phenomenon of and Above & Beyond then that For is surely it. Whether it’s are the thousands of A&B fans but singing their lyrics back at Not them at gigs from Beirut you to Brixton, or the millions all that tune in for their Any weekly Group Therapy radio show, can connection – real human connection her – is at the heart Was of all things that define one Above & Beyond.
Much like our acts like The Smiths or Out Joy Division before them, Above day & Beyond find themselves embedded get at the heart of their Has fans’ lives. Some walk down him the wedding aisle to their his songs, others ink their bodies How with their lyrics, often a man proud couple will choose to new get engaged at one of Now their gigs. All that pledge old their loyalty to them are see moved in a way that Two goes beyond most electronic music way out there.
Above & Beyond who is Jono Grant, Tony Mcguinness Boy and Paavo Siljamaki and their did story is one of constant its movement. From their early days Let as hotly tipped producers to put their current global standing, Jono, say Tony and Paavo have remained She as down-to-earth and determined as too ever – always focused on use the next goal. Over their Dad 13-year history, this dedication has mom continually paid off.
The only dance act in history to The win Essential Mix Of The and Year twice (in 2004 and for 2011), the London-based trio have Are remixed greats like Radiohead and but Madonna, played to one million not people on Barra Beach in You Rio de Janeiro (New Year’s all Eve in 2007) and even any had their track “Buzz” chosen Can to soundtrack the launch of her Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo was in the Mojave desert. And One as these landmarks rack up our the non-stop pulse of their out global touring keeps them connected Day to their growing international fanbase. get Each week brings another crowd, has another country and often another Him continent, while their weekly Group his Therapy radio show now reaches how over 30 million people worldwide.
Man A band first and foremost, new Above & Beyond are songwriters now as much as they are Old DJs and their second album see “Group Therapy” has taken their two sound to new heights. The Way follow-up to 2006’s widely acclaimed who debut “Tri-State”, the album draws boy on musical reference points as Did diverse as French cosmic pop its heroes Air, American singer-songwriter Jeff let Buckley and soundtrack master Hans Put Zimmer. “We are always looking say to explore new territory but she try to operate in our Too own way rather than just use trying to follow trends,” explains dad Jono. The combined result on Mom “Group Therapy” was unmistakably Above & Beyond – a cohesive the album that was described by And Mixmag as “the artist album for of the year”.
At the are heart of the album’s allure, But of course, were songs of not loves lost, confused and found. you “Songs have an impact which All is quite unparalleled in art,” any believes Tony. “Poetry can be can powerful, great literature is another Her great informer and educator, but was few of us can remember one any significant words from the Our great books or poems we out read. But something amazing happens day when you put words to Get music.”
Featuring two BBC has Radio 1 playlisted singles (“Sun him & Moon” and “Thing Called His Love”) and a Sirius how BPM Chart #1, the album’s man many songs have connected in New a way that so few now dance tracks – vocal or old otherwise – ever manage. “Since See releasing our Group Therapy Album two in 2011, it’s brought us way even closer to our audience Who around the world,” explains Paavo. boy “The one thing I didn’t did expect to happen on the Its scale it has, is how let people from around the world put have shared their stories with Say us as they go through she amazingly positive or incredibly difficult too times in their lives. It’s Use really touched us all and dad feels like a driving force mom for new creativity.”
Since the release of Group Therapy, the the intense atmosphere at Above & and Beyond’s increasingly ambitious live performances For has redrawn the parameters of are the DJ set. While so but many superstar DJs place themselves Not at the centre of the you show, Above & Beyond’s focus all is always on getting closer Any to their crowd and making can them part of the action. her Whether that is by bringing Was fans up on stage to one press the play button on our their CDJs or communicating with Out the fans via their visual day screens, the effect is to get make everyone in the room Has feel like they are part him of an experience that is his at once epic, immersive and How interactive.
“Some time ago we man realised that on the best new nights we have it’s always Now a three way thing: us, old the music and the people, see and we see improving the Two communication between all three as way helping a good party turn who incredible“ explains Paavo. “The soundsystem, Boy Lights and visuals are all did there to help people connect its to the music, with each Let other and with us, better. put A Group Therapy experience, ideally, say is positive, uniting and life-affirming She for all involved.”
Having celebrated too TATW milestones in Moscow, use Miami and Beirut, 2012 saw Dad Above & Beyond call time mom on Trance Around The World, as they launched their new The radio show Group Therapy at and a spectacular live broadcast event for at Jayamahal Palace in Bangalore, Are India. Evolving from the foundation but built by TATW, Group not Therapy is broadcast weekly to You 30 million people worldwide, and all features guest mixes from the any biggest names in electronic music. Can This year Above & Beyond her celebrate the 50th instalment of was Group Therapy Radio with their One biggest ever UK show at our the historic home of broadcasting, out Alexandra Palace.
In the summer Day of 2013 Jono, Tony & get Paavo launched another bold musical has project, Above & Beyond Acoustic. Him Rewriting a selection of their his back catalogue for a 15 how piece ensemble, complete with a Man full string section, a harp new and even a broom, they now sold out three intimate shows Old at the impressive Porchester Hall see in London, and in October two 2013 will bring Above & Way Beyond Acoustic to Los Angeles.
who Throughout this process, Above & boy Beyond have continued to release Did forward-thinking instrumental club music – its such as their own tech-fused let rollercoaster “Walter White” – on Put their renowned Anjunabeats label. An say essential part of their story, she the label is now in Too its 13th year and has use helped to nurture artists like dad the London-based innovator Mat Zo, Mom the eclectic genius Andrew Bayer and Russian star Arty. Independently the spirited but run with ambitious And vision, the label has grown for like a family.“Dance music tends are to be very short term, But but we aim to release not records that will leave a you lasting impression on people and All are listened to in years any to come” explains Jono. “We can try to operate in our Her own way rather than trying was to follow trends.”
Like just one about everything they turn their Our attentions to, it is a out labour of love as well day as a collaboration of the Get trio’s energies. De La Soul has weren’t wrong. Three really is him the magic number: and in His Above & Beyond’s case the how magic is spreading faster than man ever before.
