I completely agree with this review, except my favorite songs are just Northern Soul and Always. Lately, I have bee trying to figure out how and why they're changing. I can't say that they are going in an completely unfavorable direction because there are obviously still capturing an audience that enjoys this music and direction. That is not to say there is still something missing and possibly a bit of a downturn happening with they're direction and strategy. What I have noticed is some obvious changes and some more underlying reasons for this change whether they realize it themselves or not. Over the years after Group Therapy, they were pumping out songs that would reach larger audiences (We are all we need, blue sky action, etc) and I truly believe these songs were the mark for the change in their recipe. Long gone is the real trance with the long consistent beat and layering that slowly reveals itself as a song progresses. Where the lyrics would complement the instrumentals rather than becoming the song entirely. And where deep emotions can be evoked through the instrumentals along with lyrics that are less descriptive but still captures the listeners imagination allowing it to be interpreted in many different ways. This is how I truly feel with their music in Group Therapy, Sirens of the Sea, and Tri-State. Their new music is forced emotion, trying too hard to "connect" where it seems as if it truly became a job for them rather than a passion. Less orchestral instruments are incorporated as well such as string instruments and piano (take a close listen). In terms of the audience, no offence, there is a lack of understanding what trance really is for those being captured by Common Ground and We Are All We Need...well because these albums are no where near trance. And so ever time since the initial songs that marked for change (mentioned earlier), they have focused their feedback loop to the new audience loving those songs and building more of them but really then taking the thought of being "emotional" and running with it ans now its completely overkill. Also, to mention visuals used during their shows. I have had life changing experiences with Above and beyond between 2012 and 2014 (back when I was old enough to see them live). Their visuals are the best out there! Where they show captured moments of life not in the forms of human individuals but society, nature, everyday objects and symbolic ones etc has had the ability to pull the audience and myself into new worlds of thought and perspective accompanied with their music. It is a neutral yet captivating visual set they give us. Snippets of processes in the cycle of our society and environment has always been beautiful, however... lol pulling in new cgi visuals purposely made for particular songs and exactly representing the lyrics such as my own hymn and northern lights is super cheesy. Though they are not terrible but just does not go as far to grab an audience member emotional as the old method they used. (I have synesthesia, so thats probably why visuals really matter to me)

In the end, really forcing "emotion" becomes too much,overwhelming and really is a turn off per say. Their new album is not as captivating slightly due to the instrumentals, lyrics, and strange song hooks. Overall, I still think they should look back at they're old recipe for success but make minor changes over time to become experimental in both instrumentals and lyrics (i.e. should have stayed with trance). and unfortunately, Anjunabeats is having its fair share of weird direction lately, the lack of emotion has been really evident as of 2017 and 2018 especially. Anjunadeep on the other hand is really all that ive been listening too and they have been making a great upswing! The problem with changing how A&B is changing is their audience is quickly turning over and so they cant truly grow as they keep abandoning their old recipes that attracted audiences at particular times. If it ain't broken, don't fix it lol