A firm favourite on Above & Beyond’s brand new album ‘Bigger Than All Of Us’, ‘Ride At Dawn’ quickly found viral success online, launching it to #2 in the global chart on TikTok. The track soundtracked stories from @England, @NFL, @WWE and @ManUtd, snowballing to over 1.5 billion videos worldwide.
Starting slow and atmospheric, ‘Ride At Dawn’ builds to an anthem of love and protection. “I think when we love deeply enough to ‘ride at dawn’ for a person we feel protective of, we often have a secret hope that someone will do the same for us if ever we are vulnerable and desperate for unconditional support. “Please see my pain and come closer to it” is the unspoken longing”, says Zoë.
“I’ve been the unstoppable rider, protecting others who depended on me, but I’ve also been the one who broke apart when kind hearts came charging over the hill to save me in dark times. We all deserve the gift of being protected and believed. Sometimes we are the fire itself, and sometimes we are just grateful for warmth.”
“This album is us appreciating how amazing this thing we have is. The realization of how lucky we are that we get to be part of something like this for 25 years, and to have built a community that cares for each other in the way it does. It’s not about any of us individually. When we all work together to make something happen, something bigger happens.” - Jono, Paavo and Tony – Above & Beyond.
If much of the mindset and mantra behind Above & Beyond over the last quarter of a century has been born from the idea of connection, then their fifth artist album ‘Bigger Than All Of Us’ is best summed up in one word: reconnection.
It’s been seven years since Jono Grant, Paavo Siljamäki and Tony McGuinness released their fourth electronic album, Common Ground. A #3 on the Billboard charts – an achievement that speaks to the British band’s huge, arena-to-amphitheatre scale profile in America, a level of success replicated in pretty much every other corner of the world.
The time since has seen a series of projects come to life both collectively and individually: 2019’s ambient, yoga-and-meditation-friendly album Flow State, streamed over 400 million times worldwide; a series of club ready instrumentals under the Tranquility Base moniker; radio records ‘See The End’, ‘Over Now’ and ‘Crazy Love’.
In the meantime, the band embarked on personal projects outside of the Above & Beyond framework. Grant collaborated with long time friend Daren Tate on 2022’s self-titled synthwave JODA album. In 2023 Siljamäki, reprised his P.O.S alias, releasing dance floor focussed album Deeper Tales. Last year, McGuinness dug in his own crates for Salt, an album based on a studio-freshened selection of emotional singer-songwriter compositions originally written as the ’90s rave and Britpop fever-dreams faded.
A worldwide touring schedule, their weekly Group Therapy radio show, and overseeing a family of iconic dance labels, Anjunabeats, Anjunadeep and, most recently, Anjunachill – it’s never quiet in the world of Above & Beyond.
But it’s the spirit of music uniting us all championed through their studio albums ‘Tri-State’, ‘Group Therapy’, ‘ We Are All We Need’ and ‘Common Ground’ that has been their most enduring appeal. Real life stories of hope, heartbreak and healing that bring together dance musics’ biggest global community.
“There are songs on here that have stood the test of time in our little world and have had a new life breathed into them by the process that we've adopted. But they're classic Above & Beyond songs, and I think they speak to the huge, worldwide effect that Above & Beyond has. A worldwide meaning. A worldwide connection.” - Above & Beyond
Dimitris Kechagias Review:
[review top="1"]
[item value="10"]Above & Beyond and Zoë Johnston - Ride At Dawn[/item]
[item value="10"] Melody [/item]
[item value="10"] Synths [/item]
[item value="10"]Breakdown[/item]
[item value="10"]Climax / Drop / Crescendo / Pay off moment[/item]
[item value="10"]Intensity, Drive and Energy[/item]
[item value="10"]Sound-design and Arrangement[/item]
[item value="10"]Overall Atmosphere[/item]
[item value="10"]Goosebumps / Shivers moments[/item]
[item value="10"]Emotional affinity and heartfelt moments[/item]
[item value="10"]Originality and Inventiveness[/item]
[item value="10"]Radio Friendly[/item]
[item value="10"]Vocals & lyrics[/item]
[item value="10"]You can’t get this memorable track out of your head[/item]
[item value="10"]It has potential to become an anthem or a classic[/item]
[/review]
[review top="1"]
[item value="10"]Above & Beyond and Zoë Johnston - Ride At Dawn[/item]
[content title="Summary" label="Overall Score"] Above & Beyond and Zoë Johnston’s “Ride At Dawn” is a beautifully crafted progressive trance masterpiece that exemplifies the group’s signature emotional storytelling through music. Technically, the track is a meticulous production, beginning with a slow, spacious, and atmospheric intro that immediately sets a cinematic tone. Subtle pads and reverb-drenched textures create a sense of vast openness, allowing Zoë Johnston’s ethereal vocal to emerge with delicate intimacy. As the arrangement progresses, finely layered synths and percussive elements are introduced with precision, each sound designed to build anticipation without overpowering the vocal narrative. The breakdown is a highlight of Above & Beyond’s production craft: a wide, cinematic swell of atmospheric effects and airy chords allow Zoë’s warm, heartfelt voice to resonate fully. This section demonstrates their mastery of dynamic range and emotional pacing. When the euphoric lead synths finally enter, they do so with a crystalline clarity that carries both power and poignancy. The mix is immaculately balanced—deep, steady kicks and rolling basslines underpin soaring melodies that radiate positivity, hope, and that signature touch of melancholia that fans have come to adore. Dedicated Above & Beyond fans will embrace “Ride At Dawn” because it encapsulates everything the trio is celebrated for: anthemic yet personal storytelling, meticulous sound design, and a journey-like structure that rewards both dancefloor energy and introspective listening. Its technical polish, emotional resonance, and cinematic qualities ensure it will find a home in the hearts of listeners who seek both euphoria and connection in their music. #PureGold Love IT[/content]
[item value="10"]Beat and Rhythm[/item]
[item value="10"]Basslines and Groove[/item][item value="10"] Melody [/item]
[item value="10"] Synths [/item]
[item value="10"]Breakdown[/item]
[item value="10"]Climax / Drop / Crescendo / Pay off moment[/item]
[item value="10"]Intensity, Drive and Energy[/item]
[item value="10"]Sound-design and Arrangement[/item]
[item value="10"]Overall Atmosphere[/item]
[item value="10"]Goosebumps / Shivers moments[/item]
[item value="10"]Emotional affinity and heartfelt moments[/item]
[item value="10"]Originality and Inventiveness[/item]
[item value="10"]Radio Friendly[/item]
[item value="10"]Vocals & lyrics[/item]
[item value="10"]You can’t get this memorable track out of your head[/item]
[item value="10"]It has potential to become an anthem or a classic[/item]
[/review]
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