Join Above & Beyond on Sound Advice, the weekly interview series covering artists’ journeys and their creative process. In this episode, we discuss the renowned dance trio’s ‘Bigger Than All of Us’ album and tour, 25 years of the Anjunabeats label family, collaboration and more.
Welcome to Sound Advice, the series spotlighting artists’ creative process and their SoundCloud journey. We’ll get the inside knowledge straight from the source on how musicians, producers and creatives are leaning into everything SoundCloud offers to elevate their sound, get heard and catapult their careers. Sound Advice is now available in audio format on the SoundCloud Stories profile.
On this episode of Sound Advice, we delve into the creative minds of Tony McGuinness and Paavo Siljamäki; two-thirds of stadium-filling electronic music act, Above & Beyond, alongside Jono Grant. This summer, Above & Beyond released ‘Bigger Than All Of Us,’ their first album as a trio in seven years. During the midst of their North American amphitheater tour, we sat down with them to discuss their 25 year journey in electronic music; from becoming vocal trance’s most in-demand remixers in the early 2000s, to starting their labels Anjunabeats, Anjunadeep and Anjunachill.
In our conversation, we explore the intricate dance of collaboration and music production, and learned more about their personal approach to songwriting, remixing and working with vocals. We also talk about the role that SoundCloud has played in creating their Anjuna community, spreading their Burning Man DJ mixes, getting new fans and even inspiring new creative directions. Tune in for an uplifting conversation with these dance music innovators.
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LISTEN TO ‘BIGGER THAN ALL OF US’ BY ABOVE & BEYOND ON SOUNDCLOUD
Things We Talked About In This Episode of Sound Advice
The Early Days of Above & Beyond and Writing Vocal Trance Hits
- We begin our conversation reflecting on 25 years of Above & Beyond. The trio started out as remixers, working on remixes for artists such as Madonna. After writing music for others, they soon realized that they could explore making original music. This was boosted, they say, by the success of one particular remix of theirs, of Chakra’s “Home,” which reached No. 1 in the UK club charts and was played twice on air by legendary British dance DJ Pete Tong.
- This exposure gave them the confidence and resolve to strike out on their own. After releasing their own material, it came full circle, as other artists tapped them up for more remixes. The Above & Beyond sound was quickly becoming a signature, which felt original and fresh for the contemporary dance music scene. For Above & Beyond, they saw their growth as songwriters of their own material an inevitable part of their early story.
- Above & Beyond have been known as the kings of vocal trance music, with uplifting hit tracks like 2005’s “Air For Life,” 2006’s “Good For Me” and 2016’s Grammy-nominated “We’re All We Need,” among myriad others. So what’s the secret to working with a vocal, be it on a remix or an original track? For the duo, they insist that the foundation of any great track is to get a solid song structure down, with inspiring chords.
- Blending their skills for traditional songwriting with more electronic-forward production techniques and the talents of their regular vocal collaborators — Zoë Johnston, Justine Suissa and Richard Bedford — they found the Above & Beyond magic. Here, they discuss the making of their track “Clear Blue Water,” with Justine, as the birth of their Oceanlab project.
Inside the Making of Above & Beyond’s 2025 Album ‘Bigger Than All Of Us’ and Their Evolving Collaborative Studio Process
- On ‘Bigger Than All Of Us,” Above & Beyond showcase their first collaborative dance music material in seven years. Here, they reflect on what’s happened during this period between albums — from various music releases and solo projects, to major life and world events — and how, looking back on their discography with fresh eyes and ears, they were inspired to elevate their signature sound once again. They also introduce the importance of their executive producer and A&R, David Dresden, and how his encouragement as a listener and lover of Above & Beyond inspired them to write the music of ‘Bigger Than All Of Us.’
- The Above & Beyond studio process has evolved over time. Here, they talk about how they’ve spent years saving demos, ideas and unfinished tracks for future use, from the unreleased material of past album cycles. Through listening back to those demos with rested ears, after their seven-year break, they realized that there was a golden thread of musical themes running through the material.
- In preparing to make their latest album, they tapped into this deep reservoir of demos and worked through them to figure out their next steps. Here, they talk about the blend of individual freedom and friendly collaboration that fuelled their studio sessions.
- Over the years, Above & Beyond have worked with three core vocalists: Zoë Johnston, Justine Suissa and Richard Bedford. Here, they talk about what each of them bring to the sessions as vocalists and songwriters, and how their voices and ideas have become an integral part of the Above & Beyond signature sound.
- Honing in on their collaborative worth, they talk about how the specificity of their lyrical themes are, in fact, what make their songs feel universal. Rather than writing about more vague, symbolic stories, and aiming for an anthem straight out the gate, Tony and Paavo explain how they have learned that the more human the storytelling, the more organically the track becomes an anthem. For them, it’s all about making a connection to the audience that feels authentic.
How Different Solo and Group Aliases, and Ambient Music, Inspired Above & Beyond
- This is a core element of a side of the Above & Beyond story that’s evolved gradually over time: ambient. Back in 2014, the group presented their critically acclaimed acoustic project and accompanying live shows. Since then, they’ve also formed Anjunachill, the ambient sub-label of Anjunabeats, and folded more ambient sounds into their overall songwriting. Here, they talk about their journey with ambient, and how your surroundings inform your songwriting process and ability to tap into ambient-adjacent emotions.
- We hear about how a special trip to Paavo’s native Finland inspired deep, therapeutic sessions with Justine Suissa, and how their track “Little Something” was born out of frustrations and anxieties around the balance of touring life and home life. Reflecting on these moments, Tony wisely notes that “songwriting allows you to have the final word over a difficult time,” and that it’s a “life-affirming position to find yourself in” as an artist.
- Over the years, the members of Above & Beyond have worked on different projects and released solo material, all under a variety of aliases. Here, they discuss some of these aliases, why it made sense to have so many different projects as a way to break into the music industry, and what the aliases bring them creatively today.
- A core part of the Above & Beyond story is their evolved roster of labels: Anjunabeats, the original; Anjunadeep, their deep and tech house label; and Anjunachill, which focuses on more ambient sounds. For the group, the labels are all about community. Here, they discuss how they utilized early online forum culture to build up an audience and create opportunities for themselves and their signed artists.
Building Community on SoundCloud, from Burning Man DJ Mixes and Remixes, to Radio Shows and More
- Here, Paavo observes that, today, “community is what the labels serve,” not the other way around — and a core element of serving that community happens on SoundCloud. From their weekly Group Therapy radio show, to DJ mixes, new releases, remixes and exclusives, Above & Beyond are using SoundCloud to consistently share their work and tap into a younger generation of listeners who can keep the group, and their labels, moving forward. Here, Tony also reflects on the importance of the Seven Lions mammoth remix of Oceanlab’s track “Satellite,” and explains the role that SoundCloud played in its success.
- Another important release of theirs which SoundCloud gave new life to was Above & Beyond’s first performance at Burning Man. The famed American festival created an opportunity for the group to play a set that was outside their comfort zone at the time — a sunset yoga session on the desert Playa, with a focus on ambient, orchestral-leaning beats.
- Here, Paavo discusses how their uploading of that performance to SoundCloud creates a ripple effect of great energy, feedback, community and opportunities for them — including the resolve to create Anjunachill. Having come from the world of stadium dance music, with vocal trance hits, moving into the ambient realm marked a new chapter in the Above & Beyond story.
The ‘Bigger Than All Of Us’ Live Tour, and Reflecting on 25 Years of Above & Beyond
- As part of the release of their latest album, ‘Bigger Than All Of Us,” Above & Beyond have once again elevated their custom live show, including for their 2025 Coachella performance. Here, Tony and Paavo both break down how they, alongside their longtime stage and lighting designer Neil Marsh, worked to create a live show that could “make people feel like they're really together.” They also offer insight into how selecting to do their North American tour in amphitheaters helped bring their vision of inclusiveness to life with their latest stage production.
- After 25 years, Above & Beyond have experienced a lot — so what advice would they give to new artists today? We end the conversation with some wise words from both Tony and Paavo.
- Here, Tony explains how the music itself is the most important part to focus on, first and foremost, before promotion or worldbuilding, while Paavo reflects on how success is relative and doesn’t always have to be about fame or fortune. As Paavo explains, if you can build a community and a living around your music, you’re already winning. Tony elaborates on this, explaining how working a part-time job doesn’t mean you can’t make beautiful music. He also explains how finding a mentor and tapping into their expertise and network is crucial, and can help you get inspired by their own journey, too.
Links and Extras
Follow Above & Beyond’s journey on SoundCloud.
Press play on Above & Beyond’s 2025 album, ‘Bigger Than All Of Us.’
Follow their labels, Anjunabeats, Anjunadeep and Anjunachill.
Check out Above & Beyond’s acoustic projects, ‘Acoustic’ and ‘Acoustic II.’
Press play on their 2024 EP, ‘Tranquility Base, Vol. 2.’
Listen to the Seven Lions remix of Oceanlab’s “Satellite.”
Check out Above & Beyond’s upcoming ‘Bigger Than All Of Us’ tour dates here.
Listen to the Festival House Bangers playlist on SoundCloud.
Never miss an episode and follow the official Sound Advice playlist on SoundCloud.
Getting The Most Out of SoundCloud
Learn more about using DMs to connect with fellow artists and potential collaborators.
Learn more about how to make a custom playlist on SoundCloud.
Learn more about unlimited uploads, available with an Artist Pro subscription.
Learn more unlocking access to unlimited distribution, available with Artist Pro.
Learn more about getting heard with SoundCloud’s updated algorithm, available to Artist and Artist Pro subscribers.
To discover additional features a SoundCloud Artist or Artist Pro subscription offers, visit here. To catch up on past installments of Sound Advice and make sure you don’t miss out on future episodes, visit here.
CREDITS Host: Vivian Host, Executive Producer: Mike Spinella, Producer: KC Orcutt, Audio Engineer: David “DibS” Shackney, Coordinator: Trevor McGee, Editorial Associate: Lauren Martin
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