Richard Durand may not release an album too often, but when he does release one, the result is just PERFECTION. He told me about the album during this summer when we met and had a chat at Untold festival, he told me the album will be called “The Air We Breathe” and even if I haven’t listened to it then, I fell in love with only the name.
The Air We Breathe seen the light of day on November 2nd and it blew the trancers minds. The sole name is inclusive and it makes you feel a part of it. It transformed a single’s name “The air I breathe” into something we all do together: breathing the same air music. Grab your copy and support the magic: https://richarddurand.choons.at/tawb.
The whole album is a complete journey and it always surprises me. Even if I listen to it since day one, and I have it on repeat, I still didn’t found anything boring to it, or something that might make me press the pause button. I is embedded in my soul. Forever. And it is one of my favorite albums ever.
Let me break it down. Because there are 19 tracks in it and each one gave me THE goosebumps differently.
1. Insolidus – the Intro Mix. With Geert Huinink. This should say enough. Geert is a living legend and his compositions are magical. This combo between Richard and Geert introduces the album in right way. It calms your mind and it prepares it for the journey. The voices are sacred. And the whole build up it is also sacred. The tracks is both sensitive and uplifting. It raised my soul to the right alien level.
2. The Air I Breathe – The track that started it all? The track that Richard said he made it in an afternoon and the track that many said it will become a CLASSIC. The track that Andrei made me listen to it. It was not love at first listen, but at the second, the third, the forth one and so on. I know it by heart, but every time I listen to it, I discover something new I like about it. If now I like the story and how the story is told, later I like the playful sounds of it. If now I like its joy and optimism, later I like its power, its driveness. This track is one of the best this year and I am happy that Richard chose to share it with us and make our souls happy.
3. Land of Angels – My favorite. From the whole album. If I would have to choose a favorite. I cannot find the right words to describe what this track does to me. Trust me when I say I listened to this track on repeat, on my way to the office, 8 hours while being at the office, on my way to the gym and back home. That means about 10 hours a day, on repeat. But not only one day. I had 4 days I consciously hit that play and repeat button with no regrets. You do the math on how many plays that means. I still listen to it. Because it mesmerised me. The drums make it strong, the voices make it mystical, the vibe makes it out of this world.
4. Kill the Fear – with Mike Schmid. The melody is nice and the vocal fits. Clearly.
5. The Sacred Vine – Geert Huinink is again involved and the result is amazing. It has the same sacred voices that hypnotise the audience and build a very special sort of enthusiasm. It is quiet just when it needs to and it makes you lose yourself deep into it.
6. Skies Above – It has something from the trance classics soul. It may be the drive, some sounds, but it give me that exact classical vibe. Doing my design work each day is definitely easier with this one in my headphones. It is engaging.
7. Aida – a bit dark. A bit playful. A bit mysterious. Amazing track to dance to on the dancefloor.
8. Lotus – Driving.
9. Universal Minds – with Sied van Riel. Each collaboration is special and this one makes no exception. This is dreamy and full of hope. It is one of those track you listen when you might be down, and want something to make you feel better and smile more. It is optimistic.
10. Pandora – The Pandora box track. It opens a whole new kind of darkness.
11. Cosmic Dawn – with Mark Sherry. This combo is ecstatic! Saw them in a b2b at Untold Festival and they blew the crowd’s minds with the set. And this track does the same. It is cosmic!
12. Vortex – with Marco V. Ohhhh Marco V. He is a legend! The techyness of this track is soooo good! I am already dancing only by thinking of it.
13. Toxic – This track is dark. A deep dark. I really like how it builds up the mystical energy.
14. Savage – Ohhhhh this one. I gave it a full review when it was first released and I stand to everything that I said back then.
15. Pelican Rouge – Dark.
16. Boogieman – Very dark.
17. Enigma – Like title, like track. Enigmatic.
18. Lagun – Electric.
19. The Air I Breathe – The vocal. With Christina Novelli. I must say. The vocal sounds nice. Richard told something about making a vocal, but couldn’t share the vocalist at that time. He was very excited and made excited for him, too. Listened to the acoustic version, and it was a surprise. I listened to this and it was a surprise again.
It is what it is. This album is pure magic and it takes a while till your soul feels ready to write about it. It took me almost 3 weeks of continuous listening to find the right words to describe my feelings about Richard’s work. I cannot congratulate him and his hard work enough. I cannot thank him enough for THE MUSIC. I cannot thank him enough for being THE person he is. For the MUSIC man he is.
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