What I Breathe
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| What I Breathe | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 5 August 2022 | |||
| Genre | Electronic | |||
| Length | 60:03 | |||
| Label | Looking for Trouble | |||
| Producer | Mall Grab | |||
| Mall Grab chronology | ||||
| ||||
What I Breathe is the debut studio album by Australian record producer Jordon Alexander under the pseudonym Mall Grab.[1][2] It was released on 5 August 2022 through his own record label Looking for Trouble.[3][4] It topped the UK Dance Albums Chart.[5] It received generally favorable reviews from critics.[6]
What I Breathe was produced by Mall Grab over the course of 18 months.[7] It features guest appearances from Turnstile vocalist Brendan Yates, Nia Archives, Novelist, and D Double E.[8] Mall Grab's own vocals are also featured on the songs "Without the Sun" and "Lost in Harajuku".[9] "Lost in Harajaku" was written in a Tokyo hotel room, using GarageBand.[10] The album's cover art is a photograph featuring six Golden Retrievers.[10]
Critical reception
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 69/100[6] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [11] |
| Beats Per Minute | 63%[12] |
| DIY | [13] |
| The Line of Best Fit | 8/10[14] |
| Pitchfork | 5.8/10[15] |
According to the review aggregator Metacritic, What I Breathe received "generally favorable reviews" based on a weighted average score of 69 out of 100 from 5 critic scores.[6]
Paul Simpson of AllMusic called the album "a somewhat nostalgic but still forward-thinking trip through his various interests."[11] He added, "Barely containing anything that could be described as laid-back, carefree house, the tracks are generally vivid and brimming with energy."[11] Josh LaClair of Beats Per Minute commented that "the first Mall Grab album is decidedly too busy and scattered to be much of anything but a letdown for most fans."[12] Philip Sherburne of Pitchfork stated, "Seven years into a career spent flipping familiar references into crowd-pleasing shapes, it's still not clear who [Jordon] Alexander really is, beyond the sum of his influences."[15]
Accolades
| Publication | List | Rank | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resident Advisor | The Best Albums of 2022 | — |
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Hand in Hand Through Wonderland" | 5:28 |
| 2. | "I Can Remember It So Vividly" | 4:28 |
| 3. | "Love Reigns" | 4:39 |
| 4. | "Understand" (featuring Brendan Yates) | 3:44 |
| 5. | "Patience" (featuring Nia Archives) | 4:18 |
| 6. | "Without the Sun" | 4:27 |
| 7. | "Spirit Wave" | 4:25 |
| 8. | "Breathing" | 4:47 |
| 9. | "Intercity Relations" | 4:46 |
| 10. | "Times Change" (featuring Novelist and D Double E) | 3:05 |
| 11. | "Distant Conversation" | 5:17 |
| 12. | "Metaphysical" | 5:01 |
| 13. | "Lost in Harajuku" | 4:37 |
| Total length: | 60:03 | |
Personnel
Credits adapted from liner notes.[17][18]
- Jordon Alexander – production
- Brendan Yates – guest appearance (4)
- Nia Archives – guest appearance (5)
- Novelist – guest appearance (10)
- D Double E – guest appearance (10)
- Matt Karmil – mixing
- Matt Colton – mastering
- Super Goog – design
- Rob Jones – cover photography