Above & Beyond : Group therapy review
This album is a model example of what´s wrong in todays trance music. Minimalistic electro backgrounds and hollow execution make this the years biggest flop.
Using Zoe Johnston as a vocalist is a BIG mistake. You can´t even listen one song without cringing to her voice. She´s like a fuckin goose. Other vocalist Richard Bedford is just ok.
The "melodies" are the same scheisse what you could expect in any Anjunabeats song over the years. In fact there arent melodies at all, or what would you call useless piano keys here and there and a couple of synth pads mixed... Seems to me that even the less educated trance producers would do this SO much better.
There are couple of interesting songs, but the other one is chill, which is not a good thing.
Above & Beyond should have done what Tiesto did: start from the beginning. Or hire some decent producers from another genre...But this is utter piece of shit and most definitely biggest flop of the year.
Using Zoe Johnston as a vocalist is a BIG mistake. You can´t even listen one song without cringing to her voice. She´s like a fuckin goose. Other vocalist Richard Bedford is just ok.
The "melodies" are the same scheisse what you could expect in any Anjunabeats song over the years. In fact there arent melodies at all, or what would you call useless piano keys here and there and a couple of synth pads mixed... Seems to me that even the less educated trance producers would do this SO much better.
There are couple of interesting songs, but the other one is chill, which is not a good thing.
Above & Beyond should have done what Tiesto did: start from the beginning. Or hire some decent producers from another genre...But this is utter piece of shit and most definitely biggest flop of the year.
Kommentit
Given that "Group therapy" is produced by known trance artists one might think that this album would focus on trance. But because A&B are electronic music pioneers they aren't restricted to trance music alone. Thus to say this album is bad trance is invalid since it's not. This album is meant to be a music experience and as such it doesn't disappoint. I suppose it requires acquired taste to really appreciate the quality in this album.
You said that "Above & Beyond should have done what Tiesto did: start from the beginning". Tiesto has done no such thing. Unlike Above & Beyond Tiesto has abandoned trance completely and only produces lame pop music nowadays and the same goes for Armin van Buuren for the most part, unfortunately.