Who is Above & Beyond? Above & Beyond Songs, Music, Discography & Artists Like Above & Beyond
Above & Beyond are one of the defining acts in trance and progressive house music. This UK trio, consisting of Jono Grant, Tony McGuinness, and Paavo Siljamaki, have been shaping dance floors and headphones alike since 2000. They run the legendary Anjunabeats label, host Group Therapy Radio, and have earned two Grammy nominations along the way. 4D4M has been spinning their records for years. If you care about melodic, emotional electronic music, Above & Beyond deserve a permanent spot in your rotation. As Adam will tell you, few artists in this space hit as consistently hard over a 25-year career.
Who Is Above & Beyond?
Above & Beyond formed in London, England in 2000. The group is made up of three members: Jono Grant and Paavo Siljamaki, who met at the University of Westminster and bonded over electronic music production, and Tony McGuinness, a former marketing director at Warner Music Group who joined after being introduced through mutual connections.
Before using the Above & Beyond name, Grant and Siljamaki released music under aliases like Dirt Devils, Free State, and Rollerball while simultaneously building the Anjunabeats imprint. The trio formally adopted the Above & Beyond name for their 2000 remix of Chakra’s “Home,” which became a pivotal moment in their trajectory. From there, things moved fast.
Anjunabeats grew from a personal outlet into one of the most respected electronic labels in the world, eventually spinning off Anjunadeep (deeper, more melodic material) and Anjunachill. The label has launched careers for dozens of artists, from OceanLab to Lane 8 to Yotto.
Above & Beyond has released five studio albums: Tri-State (2006), We Are All We Need (2015), Common Ground (2018), Flow State (2019), and Bigger Skies (2023). They’ve headlined every major festival you can think of, from Coachella to Glastonbury to EDC, and their Group Therapy Radio show runs weekly with a devoted global listenership. Two Grammy nominations, including Best Dance Recording for “We’re All We Need” and “Northern Soul,” cement their status at the top of the genre.
Above & Beyond’s Sound Explained
Above & Beyond sit at the intersection of trance, progressive house, and emotional vocal-driven electronic music. Their signature sound is built on layered synth pads, soaring arpeggios, and vocal performances that feel genuinely affecting, not manufactured. They rarely rely on cheap drops or artificial hype. The builds take their time. When things finally open up, it feels earned.
The production quality has always been high. Even their early work from the mid-2000s holds up sonically. Collaborating vocalists like Zoë Johnston, Richard Bedford, Aloe Blacc, and Justine Suissa have contributed heavily to their sound. Johnston in particular has been a recurring presence, co-writing and performing some of their most iconic material.
Their progressive trance and progressive house output tends to favor longer track lengths, thoughtful arrangement, and melodies that stick around after the music stops. But they’ve also done purer pop crossovers, downtempo work on Flow State, and the full acoustic reimagining of their catalog. The range is real. If you only know them from festival clips, you’re missing a lot.
Group Therapy Radio, which has run for hundreds of episodes, showcases their taste as curators too. They consistently break new artists and dig into tracks from across the electronic dance music space, not just their own label.
Top Tracks by Above & Beyond
Sun & Moon (feat. Richard Bedford)
Probably their most recognized track. “Sun & Moon” builds slowly with Richard Bedford’s vocals drifting over a patient, beautiful arrangement. The drop doesn’t hit until you’re fully emotionally invested. A staple of festival sets for over a decade, and for good reason. Still sounds fresh.
Start A Fire (feat. Richard Bedford)
Another collaboration with Bedford, and this one leans more into the pop-crossover side of their sound. Clean production, hooky chorus, emotional weight without being overwrought. It’s the kind of track that works in a car on a long drive just as much as on a festival stage.
Letting Go (feat. Malou)
“Letting Go” features Swedish singer Malou and lands in a more contemporary progressive house space. The production is lighter and brighter than some of their older work, but the emotional core is still there. A good entry point if you’re newer to their catalog.
Blue Monday
Their take on the New Order classic is clean and respectful. They don’t try to reinvent the original, just translate it into their own production language. Works well in a DJ context and shows they understand the history of electronic music they’re building on.
We’re All We Need (feat. Zoë Johnston)
Grammy-nominated for Best Dance Recording at the 58th Grammy Awards. Zoë Johnston’s vocal performance anchors a track that is both festival-ready and genuinely moving. One of their best pure pop-electronic crossover moments.
Carry Me Home (feat. Zoë Johnston)
A more recent collaboration with Johnston that continues the emotional thread running through their vocal work. The production has a contemporary gloss while keeping their melodic identity intact. Hits hard in a live context.
Sun In Your Eyes
An original mix that captures the uplifting energy they’re known for. Big arpeggios, emotional build, and a sense of forward momentum that makes it a reliable crowd pleaser in festival or club contexts. No fluff, straight to the point.
Tri-State
The title track from their debut album, “Tri-State” is an atmospheric, slower-paced piece that shows a different side of their production approach. Important for understanding where they started and how they’ve evolved since 2006.
Why 4D4M Vibes With Above & Beyond
There’s a reason Above & Beyond have stayed relevant for 25 years while most of their contemporaries from the early 2000s trance era either faded or became parodies of themselves. They adapted without abandoning what made them good in the first place. That’s actually hard to do.
4D4M appreciates artists who take the long view. Above & Beyond didn’t chase every trend. They built a label, developed a radio show, cultivated a community, and kept releasing music that meant something. When the most influential EDM artists get discussed, Above & Beyond consistently make that list, and not just because of nostalgia. Their newer material stands up next to their classic catalog.
The Group Therapy Radio approach resonates too. 4D4M is interested in what it looks like to build a genuine relationship with an audience over time, not just spike engagement on a single release. Above & Beyond have been doing exactly that for decades. The weekly show creates a cadence, a consistent touchpoint with their fanbase. That’s a model worth studying.
Anjunabeats as a label operation is also something 4D4M looks at from a business standpoint. Building a brand ecosystem around your music, creating space for other artists, developing a recognizable aesthetic across releases. That’s infrastructure. That’s thinking beyond the next drop.
And honestly, the music just holds up. “Sun & Moon” still moves rooms. “We’re All We Need” still sounds great. The acoustic album is proof the songwriting is genuinely strong underneath all the synthesis. Artists who can do that, strip it back and still have it work, are usually the ones worth following long-term. Above & Beyond pass that test every time.
Above & Beyond Discography
| Album / EP | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tri-State | 2006 | Debut studio album on Anjunabeats |
| Tri-State (Acoustic) | 2013 | Acoustic reimagining of debut material |
| Acoustic (Live at the Hollywood Bowl) | 2014 | Live acoustic performance |
| We Are All We Need | 2015 | Grammy nominated single from this LP |
| Common Ground | 2018 | Fifth studio album, charted internationally |
| Flow State | 2019 | Ambient and downtempo departure |
| Common Ground (Acoustic) | 2019 | Acoustic version of Common Ground |
| Bigger Skies | 2023 | Most recent studio album |
| OceanLab: Sirens of the Sea | 2008 | Side project with Justine Suissa |
Live & Touring
Above & Beyond are a major touring act and have been for most of their career. They’ve headlined Group Therapy shows that function as their own branded events rather than standard festival slots. These shows are known for a strong visual component and a setlist that rewards longtime fans while staying accessible to newcomers.
Festival appearances include Coachella, Glastonbury, Electric Daisy Carnival, Ultra Music Festival, Tomorrowland, and dozens more globally. They’ve also done arena-level shows across the US, UK, Europe, and Australia. The Hollywood Bowl acoustic performance in 2014 was a landmark moment, selling out the iconic venue and proving there’s a significant audience for their music in a non-club context.
Their live production has evolved significantly over the years. More recent shows incorporate impressive LED and video elements. But the heart of the performance has always been the music and the crowd interaction. They’re known for reading rooms well and adjusting energy accordingly. The best electronic music venues worldwide have all hosted them at this point.
FAQ
Who are the members of Above & Beyond?
Above & Beyond consists of three members: Jono Grant, Tony McGuinness, and Paavo Siljamaki. Jono Grant and Paavo Siljamaki met at the University of Westminster in London and began producing electronic music together before launching Anjunabeats in 1999. Tony McGuinness, a former Warner Music Group marketing executive, joined the group after being connected through mutual contacts and collaborating on a remix. All three have been active members of the group since its formation in 2000.
What genre is Above & Beyond?
Above & Beyond primarily work in trance, progressive trance, and progressive house. Their earlier catalog leans more heavily into trance, while their more recent material includes vocal pop-electronic crossovers, ambient and downtempo work (especially on Flow State), and club-focused progressive house productions. They operate across a wider range than a single genre label suggests, but trance and progressive house are the core of their identity.
What is Anjunabeats?
Anjunabeats is an electronic music label founded by Jono Grant and Paavo Siljamaki in 1999. It has grown into one of the most respected trance and progressive labels globally, releasing music from Lane 8, Yotto, Tinlicker, and more. They also run Anjunadeep and Anjunachill.
What is Group Therapy Radio?
Group Therapy Radio is Above & Beyond’s weekly radio show featuring new electronic music and guest mixes. It has run for hundreds of episodes with a devoted global audience. Milestone episodes are paired with live events.
Where are Above & Beyond from?
Above & Beyond formed in London, England in 2000. Jono Grant and Tony McGuinness are English, while Paavo Siljamaki is Finnish. They are classified as a British group given their London origins and UK-based Anjunabeats operation.
Listen to Above & Beyond
Above & Beyond Online
| Platform | Link |
|---|---|
| Official Website | aboveandbeyond.nu |
| Spotify | Spotify Profile |
| SoundCloud | SoundCloud |
| @aboveandbeyond | |
| Twitter / X | @aboveandbeyond |
| Facebook Page | |
| YouTube | YouTube Channel |
| Anjunabeats | Anjunabeats.com |
