Beautiful Things (song)

"Beautiful Things"
Single by Andain
Released October 3, 2003
Format 12" single, CD single, digital download
Genre Progressive trance, trance, progressive house, breaks
Label Black Hole
Writer(s) Josh Gabriel, Mavie Marcos, David Penner
Producer(s) Josh Gabriel, Dave Dresden
Andain singles chronology
"Summer Calling"
(2002)
"Beautiful Things"
(2003)
"Promises"
(2011)
Music sample
"Beautiful Things - Radio Edit"

A classic of its genre, "Beautiful Things" is the second release by Andain. It first appeared on Tiësto's compilation album Nyana, released May 6, 2003, and was later published as a single via Black Hole, on October 27, 2003.[1] With enthusiastic reception from clubbers worldwide, the song helped define Andain's breakthrough.

Overview

While "Beautiful Things" was promoted and released as a remix by Gabriel & Dresden, the song originally started out as an unreleased guitar track titled "Annie". In response to a request from Tiësto for a follow-up to the single "Summer Calling, "Annie" was rewritten to become a club track, also changing the lyrics from a narrative third person view to first person. According to Mavie, Beautiful Things is, "in a general sense, about feeling stuck; in a place, time, you just can’t get yourself out of".[2]

The Gabriel & Dresden remix per se is characterized by a sharp beat and thick bassline. It's also notable for fusing acoustic and electronic elements, including guitars and percussion instruments in conjunction with synthesizers and electronic drums. Vocal clouds and echoing elements in the background also exemplify the band's influence of dub music.

In 2004, "Beautiful Things" earned a nomination for Best Progressive / Trance at the International Dance Music Awards.[3] In tribute to the song, Andain has also received the Sunset Music Awards, given at the Polish Sunrise Festival 2010.[4]

Piano version

On October 26, 2010, Andain published an acoustic live performance of the song on YouTube. The video features Mavie singing and playing an original piano arrangement of the song.[5]

Official versions

2003
2007
2008
2010
2014

Credits and personnel

Written and composed by Josh Gabriel, Mavie Marcos and David Penner. Remix and additional production by Josh Gabriel and Dave Dresden.[1]

Trivia

Hungarian producer Mÿon used a reversed sample of the song's vocals in his 2007 single "Albion".

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "Beautiful Things" (Vinyl) at Discogs. Catalog# BH165-5. Discogs.com. Retrieved November 10, 2011.
  2. "andain interview". Raw Beats. Retrieved November 12, 2012.
  3. "Winter Music Conference 2004". Wintermusicconference.com. Retrieved November 10, 2011.
  4. "Andain at Sunrise Festival 2010" (In Polish). FTB.pl. March 5, 2010. Retrieved January 19, 2012. Archived from original on January 19, 2012.
  5. "Andain Beautiful Things Piano Version". YouTube. October 26, 2010. Retrieved August 11, 2012.

External links