Anjunabeats is proud to present ‘Duality’, the stunning new double album from Andrew Bayer.
Enigma, polymath, visionary, DJ, producer, musician, artist: Andrew Bayer has been a cornerstone of Anjuna for over a decade. He's been responsible for the most experimental and ambitious artist albums on Anjunabeats. His 2011 debut ‘It’s Artificial’ merged glitch-hop, electronica and prog house, while on 2013’s ‘If It Were You, We’d Never Leave’ he pushed the envelope further with a critically-acclaimed journey of electronica and sunny, instrumental hip-hop. 2018's ‘In My Last Life’ wove the emotive songwriting of Ane Brun and Alison May into a modern alt-pop masterpiece.
A two-part album project, ‘Duality pt. 1' explores Bayer’s passion for downtempo and indie-pop, while ‘Duality’ pt. 2 takes on his forward-thinking trance and progressive sound. ‘Duality pt. 1' was released on August 12 via Anjunabeats. Met with acclaim from fans and supported by Sirius XM's Diplo and Liquid Todd, BBC Radio 1's Annie Nightingale and KCRW's Jason Bentley, it featured collaborations with OLAN, Run Rivers, Asbjørn, MOR, Dave Thomas Junior and more.
“Since day one, I have always struggled with how to present myself. I love making these experimental home listening albums of electronica and indie sounds, but I also love DJing and making trance bangers. On 'In My Last Life', I had to remix the album in full after it was released to make the worlds fit. This time around I wanted to capture all the breadth, depth and tension within that duality under one single project” - Andrew Bayer
On ‘Duality pt. 2’, Andrew takes the energy and BPM up a gear with ten tracks of cutting-edge club sounds - avant-garde sensibilities, aimed straight at the dancefloor. Over the past few months, Andrew has taken 'Duality pt. 2' around the world, performing at Anjunabeats star-studded takeover of New York City's Brooklyn Mirage; Above & Beyond's Group Therapy Weekender festivals at The Gorge and Dockyards London; and most recently, Group Therapy 500 at Banc of California Stadium, Los Angeles.
'Duality pt. 2' kicks off with 'Midnight', featuring vocals from long-term friend and collaborator Alison May and a go-to club smash in Above & Beyond's recent DJ sets. Red Dragons add their heavenly tones on the hypnotic ‘DNA’, before Bayer’s take on bass-lead electro with ‘Greater Chances’ (featuring OLAN).
A favourite from recent DJ sets and included on Anjunabeats Volume 16, ‘On Tape’ takes things into epic peak-time progressive trance territory. ‘I Would’ (with Alison May and Grandfather Machine) offers a beautiful downtempo moment, before ‘Break The Rules’ (with Kaleena Zanders) offers an uplifting take on self-love, personal truth and the isolation of queer identity.
Other highlights include ‘What Is Real’ (with Vök), the stunning instrumental synth crescendos of ‘If You Loop It, They Will Come’, and closing track ‘Pulse’ (with OLAN).
"With ‘Duality pt. 2’, I intended to make a dance album that feels timeless, forward-thinking, and personal. So many dance records have lost a sense of dynamics both in their mixes and arrangements. Every track is littered with classic synths, and experimental sound design" - Andrew Bayer
Andrew Bayer 'Duality' is out now on Anjunabeats, and is available to pre-order on triple gatefold vinyl via the Anjuna Music Store.
Dimitri Kechagias review:
Beat and Rhythm10
Basslines and Groove10
Melody 10
Synths 10
Breakdown10
Climax / Drop / Crescendo / Pay off moment10
Intensity, Drive and Energy10
Sound-design and Arrangement10
Overall Atmosphere10
Goosebumps / Shivers moments10
Emotional affinity and heartfelt moments10
Originality and Inventiveness10
Radio Friendly10
You can’t get this memorable track out of your head10
It has potential to become an anthem or a classic10
Andrew Bayer - Duality (Part Two)10
Summary
Andrew Bayer latest album comes in two parts. The first part was more electronic leftfield but still very powerful and now the second part of Duality reveals the club numbers. Tracks that will be played in big mainstages but definitely doesn't conform on what the usual club record should be as Andrew loves to experiment and push forward his sounds in order to create the type of tracks that whenever you listen to them you discover new sounds and new audio pleasures and gratifications. The vocals and lyrics with meaningful autobiographical touch with singers that stand out because of their integrity and honesty in their performance as their voices become instruments that merge and blend perfectly with his big electro touched big basslines and highly euphoric fluorescent feel good synths to remind us that at the end of any bad day or experience there is always light, release and the hand of your guardian angel to guide you home. Duality part 2 contains many cases of songs that you will get addicted and play them on repeat for the next year until new remixes or versions surface to make us happy again. #PureGold Love IT