Above & Beyond return with “When You Believe,” a new collaboration with acclaimed singer-songwriter Victoria Horn that pairs uplifting lyrics with a darker Balearic chord progression. Released alongside an Above & Beyond Club Mix, the track finds the trio embracing an unmistakable ’90s dance influence while adding an unconventional songwriting structure to their melodic electronic sound.
At the heart of “When You Believe” is a simple message of optimism, delivered through the distinctive refrain: “When you believe in love, you believe in life. And your life will love you back.” Against the track’s more shadowy harmonic backdrop, the hopeful lyric creates a striking contrast that gives the record much of its emotional character.
The collaboration marks the second time Above & Beyond have worked with Victoria Horn, following their fan-favorite “Counting Down The Days” from the trio’s 2015 album We Are All We Need, which Horn co-wrote.
“It all started with these chords I made, then Victoria added the melody and lyrics,” says Jono Grant of Above & Beyond.
The track’s foundation also draws heavily from the dance music of the ’90s. “It’s got a real ‘90s feel to it,” Grant explains. “When our A&R heard the opening bassline, he said it reminded him of Haddaway, which definitely speaks to the ‘90s influence behind it.”
Beyond its nostalgic production, however, “When You Believe” takes an unconventional approach to its songwriting. Grant points to the chorus as one of the elements that immediately separated the track from a more traditional dance arrangement.
“The other interesting thing about this track,” says Grant, “is that the chorus has an unusual amount of bars for a dance music track. When Victoria came in with this chorus, it sounded so unique, but I couldn’t put my finger on it until I realised it had an ‘off’ number of bars. That’s when I knew we had something really good here.”
For Victoria Horn, the collaboration represents another meaningful chapter in a career that has stretched across several decades and numerous corners of the entertainment industry.
“I’m really proud of this song,” says Horn. “I hope that it reaches the people that it needs to reach.”
Horn began her professional career as a session vocalist, recording for major television advertising campaigns across the UK and US. Her work eventually expanded into musical theater, touring and songwriting, including pre-recorded vocals for West End productions and backing vocals for touring bands. She later signed with Geffen Records in the US with a group she formed alongside Andy Taylor of Duran Duran.
Over the past two decades, Horn has established herself as a respected songwriter and vocalist within dance music, collaborating with artists including Armin van Buuren, Carl Cox, The Blessed Madonna, Paul Oakenfold, Pete Tong and Ferry Corsten.
“I know how lucky and blessed I am to be chosen to sing on an Above & Beyond track on their album, because of the few select singers — who I absolutely love and admire — who they tend to work with for years and years,” Horn adds.
The new release also comes after a major period for Above & Beyond. Following the release of their fifth dance studio album, Bigger Than All Of Us, the trio embarked on a global tour that sold approximately 175,000 tickets. The scale of the live run ultimately prompted the group to develop a more powerful club-focused version of “When You Believe” for their performances.
The resulting Above & Beyond Club Mix has since been tested in front of thousands of fans across North American amphitheaters, European clubs and festival stages around the world. The updated version brings additional club weight to the track while preserving the melodic and vocal elements at its core.
The Club Mix was also recently featured in mixed form on Above & Beyond’s Anjunabeats Volume 17 compilation, released May 28.
Both “When You Believe” and “When You Believe (Above & Beyond Club Mix)” are out now via Anjunabeats, offering two sides of the collaboration: an emotive, ’90s-inspired original and a more forceful club interpretation designed for the dancefloor.
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