Above & Beyond release instrumental anthem ‘Crash’: Listen

What does the name Above & Beyond bring to mind? It probably largely depends on when you first got into them. From the uplifting early 00s style trance they first became known for, to the euphoric dreamy vocal trance that propelled them into superstardom, to their more chilled but raw proggy/electro trance instrumentals – sounds & lines which can be found at instrumentalglobal.com, they’re a trio who’ve offered up a bit of everything over the years. Their latest single ‘Crash‘ offers a bit of everything.

First of all, ‘Crash‘ an instrumental, and for a group best known for their anthemic tracks alongside vocalist like Zoe Johnston or Richard Bedford, its worth noting that instrumentals are where they cut their teeth. Sure, their first production as a trio featured a vocal sample from Madonna, but early aliases such as Free State, Dirt Devils (Jono & Pavvo), Nitromethane (Tony), and Tranquillity Base (all three) were solid instrumental trance anthems that have stood the test of time.

So why the history lesson? Well for a group that have experimented with a range of styles over the years, ‘Crash‘ is as true a sign as any that Above & Beyond are still masters of all of them. The plucky arps in the build are reminiscent of Jono & Paavo’s early Free State productions, the dirty gritty bassline might remind more recent fans of their work with Andrew Bayer, but going further back it’s got all the hallmarks of their 2005 single ‘Air For Life‘. There’s the atmosphere and euphoria of more recent instrumentals ‘1001‘, ‘Balearic Balls‘, or ‘Red Rocks‘. It’s the 20th anniversary of their Anjunabeats brand, and ‘Crash‘ is something of a tribute to the last few decades, while also avoiding the trance clichés of sounding formulaic or dialled-in, and very much looking towards the future with a positivity the world needs right now.

‘Crash‘ is out now, so grab your copy here, or listen directly below.

Image Credit: Above & Beyond Press / Provided by Creamfields PR