Embrace (Armin van Buuren album)

Embrace is the sixth studio album by Dutch DJ and record producer Armin van Buuren. It was released on 29 October 2015 by Armada Music. The album features artists such as Angel Taylor, Cosmic Gate, Gavin DeGraw, Hardwell, Eric Vloeimans and Mr Probz.[5][6][7][8][9]

Embrace
Armin Van Buuren (seen wearing sunglasses and his head facing towards the viewer) driving a rustic muscle car with musical instruments stacked on top of it
Studio album by
Armin van Buuren
Released29 October 2015 (2015-10-29)
Recorded2015
Genre
Length74:28
LabelArmada
Producer
Armin van Buuren chronology
A State of Trance 2015
(2015)		 Embrace
(2015)		 A State of Trance 2016
(2016)
Singles from Embrace
  1. "Another You"
    Released: 8 May 2015
  2. "Off the Hook"
    Released: 14 September 2015
  3. "Strong Ones"
    Released: 16 October 2015
  4. "Embargo"
    Released: 22 October 2015
  5. "Hands to Heaven"
    Released: 26 October 2015
  6. "Heading Up High"
    Released: 5 February 2016
  7. "Freefall"
    Released: 11 June 2016
  8. "Make It Right"
    Released: 18 November 2016

Background

Explaining the name of the album, Van Buuren said: "The idea was to 'EMBRACE' several different instruments and sounds, and incorporate them into my sound."[10]

Explaining the album cover, Anton Corbijn said: “I photographed Armin with the idea to modify the public perception of him and of what he is creating. He is such a nice guy, so I worked on giving him a bit more edge visually and created images that hold a mix of references to Sgt. Pepper and Mad Max. Playful stuff basically. Apt for a versatile DJ who adores music and travels the world.”[11]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
We Got This Covered[12]

John Cameron from We Got This Covered felt that despite Armin van Buuren's status as a "full fledged enterprise", the album still "manages to be genuine at all the moments that count".[12] The critic commented that "discerning trance fan[s] of yesteryear" may ridicule pop-centered tracks like "Another You", but nonetheless agreed that tracks "Make It Right" and "Gotta Be Love" still "allow the euphoric, emotional essence of trance to shine through", while calling the lack of instrumental samples heavily suggested in previous van Buuren interviews as a shortcoming of the album. Krystal Spence of Your EDM wrote that Embrace "opens cinematically like his [van Buuren] previous albums", but quickly "changes pace and sounds" throughout the album, notably with electro-trance track "Off The Hook" whose sound failed to complement with the other 14 record songs. She dubbed "Looking For Your Name" as a "beautiful ballad" produced by an electronic artist, but argued: "Unfortunately, it’s not trance. Most of Embrace isn’t."[13]

Track listing

On 1 October 2015, the list of songs on Embrace was announced in the episode number 733 of van Buuren's radio show A State of Trance.

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Embrace" (featuring Eric Vloeimans)
  • van Buuren
  • de Goeij
7:36
2."Another You" (featuring Mr Probz)
  • van Buuren
  • de Goeij
3:10
3."Strong Ones" (featuring Cimo Fränkel)
  • van Buuren
  • de Goeij
  • Cimo Fränkel
  • Sebastian Thott
  • Andreas Moe
  • van Buuren
  • de Goeij
  • Thott[a]
3:08
4."Make It Right" (featuring Angel Taylor)
  • van Buuren
  • de Goeij
5:41
5."Face of Summer" (featuring Sarah Decourcy)
  • van Buuren
  • de Goeij
  • Han Kooreneef
  • Daniel Gibson
  • Levana Wolf
  • Sarah Decourcy
  • van Buuren
  • de Goeij
6:38
6."Heading Up High" (featuring Kensington)
  • van Buuren
  • de Goeij
  • Eloi Youssef
  • Casper Starreveld
  • Jan Haker
  • Niles Vandenberg
  • van Buuren
  • de Goeij
  • Youssef
  • Starreveld
  • Haker
  • Vandenberg
3:52
7."Gotta Be Love" (featuring Lyrica Anderson)
  • van Buuren
  • de Goeij
  • Persson[a]
6:41
8."Hands to Heaven" (featuring Rock Mafia)
  • van Buuren
  • de Goeij
  • Steve Hammons[a]
6:02
9."Caught in the Slipstream" (featuring BullySongs)
  • van Buuren
  • de Goeij
  • Andrew Bullimore
  • Mike Kintish
  • van Buuren
  • de Goeij
5:07
10."Embargo" (with Cosmic Gate)
  • van Buuren
  • de Goeij
  • Terhoeven
5:19
11."Freefall" (featuring BullySongs)
  • van Buuren
  • de Goeij
  • Bullimore
  • Kintish
  • van Buuren
  • de Goeij
3:19
12."Indestructible" (featuring DBX)
  • van Buuren
  • de Goeij
  • Sacha Collisson
  • Pete Kirtley
  • John James Newman
  • van Buuren
  • de Goeij
3:16
13."Old Skool"
  • van Buuren
  • de Goeij
3:56
14."Off the Hook" (with Hardwell)
  • van Buuren
  • de Goeij
  • van de Corput
5:44
15."Looking for Your Name" (featuring Gavin DeGraw)
van Buuren4:53
Total length:74:22
Notes
  • ^a signifies a vocal producer
  • "Old Skool" contains elements from "Can You Feel It" by Fingers Inc.

Charts and certifications

References
  1. "Armin van Buuren - Embrace (2015)". Discogs. Retrieved 2022-05-01.
  2. "Techno track produced by Armin Van Buuren called "Old Skool" featured on Embrace album". Armin van Buuren. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
  3. "Pop rock track produced by Armin Van Buuren called "Looking For Your Name" featured on Embrace album". Armin van Buuren. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
  4. "Pop rock track produced by Armin Van Buuren called "Heading Up High" featured on Embrace album". Armin van Buuren. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
  5. "iTunes: Armin van Buuren - Embrace (USA)". iTunes. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
  6. "iTunes: Armin van Buuren - Embrace (UK)". iTunes. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
  7. "iTunes: Armin van Buuren - Embrace (Canada)". iTunes. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
  8. "iTunes: Armin van Buuren - Embrace (Europe)". iTunes. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
  9. "Amazon.com: Armin van Buuren (Embrace)". Amazon. Retrieved 2015-11-03.
  10. "Armada Music: Armin van Buuren - Embrace (Story Announced)". Armin van Buuren. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
  11. "Armada Music: Armin van Buuren - Embrace". Armin van Buuren. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
  12. Cameron, John (2015-10-30). "Armin van Buuren – Embrace Review". We Got This Covered. Archived from the original on 2017-06-04. Retrieved 2018-05-08.
  13. Spence, Krystal (2015-11-03). "Is Armin Van Buuren Still the "King of Trance"?". Your EDM. Archived from the original on 2017-09-24. Retrieved 2018-05-08.
  14. "Ultratop.be – Armin Van Buuren – Embrace" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
  15. "Ultratop.be – Armin Van Buuren – Embrace" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
  16. "Armin Van Buuren Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
  17. "Dutchcharts.nl – Armin Van Buuren – Embrace" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
  18. "Offiziellecharts.de – Armin Van Buuren – Embrace" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  19. "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS - Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
  20. "Swisscharts.com – Armin Van Buuren – Embrace". Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 November 2015.
  21. "Official Dance Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company.
  22. "Armin Van Buuren Chart History (Top Dance/Electronic Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
  23. "Dutch Charts - dutchcharts.nl". Archived from the original on 2016-01-06. Retrieved 2016-02-05.
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