What I Breathe

Last updated

What I Breathe
Mall Grab - What I Breathe.png
Studio album by
Mall Grab
Released5 August 2022 (2022-08-05)
Genre Electronic
Length60:03
Label Looking for Trouble
Producer Mall Grab
Mall Grab chronology
Worship Friendship
(2020)		What I Breathe
(2022)

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]

Contents

Background

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

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 69/100 [6]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [11]
Beats Per Minute 63% [12]
DIY Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [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

Year-end lists for What I Breathe
PublicationListRankRef.
Resident Advisor The Best Albums of 2022
—

Track listing

What I Breathe track listing
No.TitleLength
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]

Charts

Chart performance for What I Breathe
Chart (2022)Peak
position
Scottish Albums (OCC) [19] 8
UK Albums (OCC) [20] 51
UK Dance Albums (OCC) [5] 1

References

  1. ↑ Moore, Sam (5 May 2022). "Mall Grab announces debut album 'What I Breathe', featuring Turnstile's Brendan Yates and Nia Archives". NME . Retrieved 16 November 2024.
  2. ↑ Breihan, Tom (5 May 2022). "Mall Grab – "Understand" (Feat. Turnstile's Brendan Yates)". Stereogum . Retrieved 16 November 2024.
  3. ↑ Ross, Gemma (5 May 2022). "Mall Grab announces debut album, 'What I Breathe'". Mixmag . Retrieved 16 November 2024.
  4. ↑ Shopmaker, Zoey (5 May 2022). "Mall Grab collaborates with Nia Archives, D Double E on debut album, What I Breathe". Resident Advisor . Retrieved 19 February 2025.
  5. 1 2 "Official Dance Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
  6. 1 2 3 "What I Breathe by Mall Grab". Metacritic . Retrieved 16 November 2024.
  7. ↑ Pilley, Max (1 August 2022). "Mall Grab: a hard-hitting debut with added Turnstile and Nia Archives". NME . Retrieved 16 November 2024.
  8. ↑ Slingerland, Calum (5 May 2022). "Mall Grab Gets Turnstile's Brendan Yates, Novelist for Debut Album 'What I Breathe'". Exclaim! . Retrieved 16 November 2024.
  9. ↑ Ryce, Andrew (23 August 2022). "Mall Grab - What I Breathe". Resident Advisor . Retrieved 19 February 2025.
  10. 1 2 Caryl, Kristan J (10 August 2022). "Mall Grab is ready for the next level". DJ Mag . Retrieved 19 February 2025.
  11. 1 2 3 Simpson, Paul. "What I Breathe - Mall Grab". AllMusic . Retrieved 16 November 2024.
  12. 1 2 LaClair, Josh (16 August 2022). "Album Review: Mall Grab – What I Breathe". Beats Per Minute . Retrieved 16 November 2024.
  13. ↑ Shortridge, Dylan (5 August 2022). "Mall Grab - What I Breathe". DIY . Retrieved 16 November 2024.
  14. ↑ McDonald, Sophia (1 August 2022). "Australian producer Mall Grab delivers a confident and assured debut with What I Breathe". The Line of Best Fit . Retrieved 16 November 2024.
  15. 1 2 Sherburne, Philip (6 August 2022). "Mall Grab: What I Breathe". Pitchfork . Retrieved 16 November 2024.
  16. ↑ "The Best Albums of 2022". Resident Advisor . 15 December 2022. Retrieved 18 April 2025.
  17. ↑ Mall Grab (2022). What I Breathe (CD booklet). Looking for Trouble.
  18. ↑ "What I Breathe | Mall Grab | Looking For Trouble". Bandcamp . Retrieved 18 April 2025.
  19. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
  20. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
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