Above & Beyond

Grant and Siljamäki were college buddies at the University of Westminster and formed the label Ajunabeats in the summer of 1999. The label produced music under the names “Dirt Devils,” “Free State,” and the label name “Ajunabeats.” The first single under Ajunabeats called “Volume One” garnered the attention of Warner Music Group’s Tony McGuiness. Together with Grant and Siljamäki, McGuiness decided to collaborate on a remix of Chakra’s song “Home.” Thus, Above and Beyond was born.

The group was fundamentally known to produce remixes of hit songs, notably “What It Feels Like For a Girl” by Madonna in 2001. At the time, they also worked with artists Adamski, Fragma, Delerium, and Japanese artist Ayumi Hamaski.

Following the collab with Hamaski, Above and Beyond was introduced to a huge audience in Tokyo in 2002 and their popularity expanded soon thereafter. Madonna commissioned the trio to remix another song “Nobody Knows Me.”

It was not until 2006 that the trio decided to release an album of original songs entitled “Tri-State” which shook up the EDM and trance music industry. They received much love and attention in the UK and from ULTRA festival site, Miami, FL. The single “Air For Life” was concluded to be Tune of the Year in 2005 by the radio show “State of Trance.” The following year “Good for Me” featuring Zoë Johnston was declared Tune of the Year for 2006. The song “Alone Tonight” with Richard Bedford won the best trance track of 2006 at the 22nd International Dance Music Awards in Miami.

On 6 June 2011 Above and Beyond’s sophomore album “Group Therapy” was released with vocals by Richard Bedford and Zoë Johnston. It reached #1on the iTunes Dance Album chart. The album contains both fast-paced trance and mellower rhythms. The hits “Thing Called Love” and “Sun and Moon” both featuring Bedford became favorites on the airwaves in the UK.

Above and Beyond hosts a weekly radio show called Group Therapy Radio, and celebrated their 100th episode in October 2014 at Madison Square Garden in New York, U.S. The name Above and Beyond comes from a poster by American motivational trainer Jono Grant’s motto “Above and Beyond.”

With an artist father, a violinist mother and a singer sister, there was absolutely no way Matan Zohar was going to have a normal job. After being gifted a guitar by his father at age 8, Mat began to develop an interest in music and when he returned back to England as an eleven year old after a ten year stint in America, he added the drums and bass to his repertoire as he joined several bands.

Around this time though he began to take an interest in electronic music due to the influence of popular acts at the time such as Daft Punk and The Chemical Brothers and before long he began shifting his talents towards producing and Djing. He started grinding in his city, putting in work on the DJ circuit and furiously producing in his bedroom until he was picked up by Anjunabeats, the Trance label founded by legendary UK dance act Above & Beyond.

With the perfect home for his talents, Mat Zo’s productions began to pick up substantial critical acclaim. His collaboration with Porter Robinson hit number one on Beatport and paved the way for the release of his 2013 debut album, ‘Damage Control’. Featuring the talents of Chuck D and many more, the album was considered a sterling first effort, building his profile and allowing him to begin to tour prolifically. He has also released productions under the Moniker MRSA, a name which he uses to showcase more Drum and Bass leaning productions.