ABOVE AND BEYOND are producers Jono Grant, Tony McGuinness and Paavo Sijamäki. Collectively they have been responsible for some of the world’s biggest club tracks over the last few years and now rank among the most respected trance producers globally, with a number of successful projects including OCEANLAB, FREESTATE, TRANQUILITY BASE, POS, NITROMETHANE and DIRT DEVILS.
After building a strong reputation through remix work for acts like Adamski and Dario G, Above and Beyond’s major breakthrough came when their spec mix of Madonna’s single “What It Feels Like For A Girl” was accepted. In fact, Madge was so impressed with their version that she decided to shoot a video to the Above & Beyond mix instead of the album version! The infamous video was directed by husband Guy Ritchie.
Since then the guys have been busy dishing out the remix treatment to high profile acts like DELERIUM, THREE DRIVES and Japanese superstar AYUMI HAMASAKI, whose last album sold 5 million copies in Japan alone. The buzz around Above & Beyond also reached the US, where a remix of ARMIN VAN BUUREN’s ‘The Sound of Goodbye’ enjoyed major radio play and hit No.1 in the Billboard Dance Chart late In 2002.
“Far From In Love” represented the first solo offering under the Above & Beyond name. Heavily supported by Dave Pearce/Judge Jules on Radio 1 and Armin Van Buuren on ID&T, the track has attained anthem status among the group’s many fans and has been licensed to the likes of Media Records and ID+T internationally. Far From In Love unites an emotive vocal with Above & Beyond’s trademark angelic strings and melodies, the band are currently working on a follow up.
Other classic tracks to emerge from the Above and Beyond collective include OCEANLAB’s “Clear Blue Water” and “Sky Falls Down”, TRANQUILITY BASE “Razorfish” and DIRT DEVILS “The Drill”, one of clubland’s biggest anthems in 2002. Amid the busy production schedule, the boys have also found time to establish and run two successful record labels, with Anjunabeats and Hard On Recordings both enjoying a solid following from the world’s most influential DJs.
As DJ’s Above and Beyond are beginning to carve quite a name for themselves following high profile sets at the likes of PASSION, MINISTRY OF SOUND, ROOM AT THE TOP and international super-clubs like VELFARRE in Japan. With a host of domestic and international gigs already planned over the next few months, expect to hear a lot more from Above and Beyond in 2003.
Anjunabeats.co.uk
Trance Around The World
