George FitzGerald
All That Must Be
Release Date: Mar 9, 2018
Genre(s): Electronic, Alternative/Indie Rock, Alternative Pop/Rock
Record label: Domino
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Album Review: All That Must Be by George FitzGerald
Great, Based on 6 Critics
Based on rating 8/10
George Fitzgerald is no stranger to emotive electronic music. His debut album Fading Love was a record immersed in melancholy, a dance record that pulsated throughout living room speakers during the early-hours of 2015. All That Must Be continues where its predecessor left off, but with FitzGerald taking a more organic approach to his song writing - focusing on the piano and blending live sounds with the synthetic beats of his debut.
Based on rating 8/10
After living in Berlin for a decade, and following the birth of his daughter, George FitzGerald returned to London, where he had witnessed the development of the dubstep scene during the 2000s. Just as his 2015 full-length debut, Fading Love, was a reaction to a breakup as well as his disillusionment with the club scene, 2018 follow-up All That Must Be further reflects on the producer's various life changes. It's far more upbeat and joyous than its predecessor, but there's still a bittersweet quality, as well as a looming sense of uncertainty over what path his life is taking.
Based on rating 8/10
A sophomore album of exploration, fusion, and unity, George FitzGerald's All That Must Be is one of the surprises of the year to date. A beautifully balanced harmony of the influences that he has tapped into in Berlin (his home for the last decade or so) and his newfound home environment of London come together to produce a series of club-worthy tracks that you can enjoy just as much when not intoxicated and sweaty at three o'clock in the morning. Whilst there were hints at this talent on his debut release, 2015's Fading Love, that particular record sold him short and felt like a tentative toe dip into the pool of electronic music.
Based on rating 8/10
Following the success of his debut album, Fading Love, London DJ/producer George FitzGerald returns with his long-awaited sophomore album. All That Must Be, a mantra in and of itself, charts an intense two-year period of change in FitzGerald's life. After nearly ten years in Berlin, where he honed his skills and built his reputation as an artist, he abruptly moved back to his hometown of London following the birth of his first child. While some musicians might see this as an opportunity to take a step back or postpone plans, FitzGerald pushed through to deliver some of his best material to date.
Based on rating 6.4/10
The narrative around George FitzGerald's 2015 debut Fading Love described a dance-music insider turning his back on the form. It had all the makings of a "Judas!" moment. The UK producer had gone from club-centric labels (Scuba's Hotflush, Will Saul's Aus) to an imprint of Domino, a fixture of the indie establishment. He'd softened his sound and traded breakdowns and build-ups for more songlike arrangements.
Based on rating 3.2/5
In 2015, George FitzGerald released his first solo LP, Fading Love, a pop house album with crossover appeal, and a big departure from his dance floor-focused work on labels like Hotflush and Aus Music. (At the time, he said the name not only referred to a former flame, but also his receding interest in club music.) The LP found FitzGerald landing on a sound he seemed comfortable with. His latest album, however, suggests that he's become a bit too comfortable.
'All That Must Be'
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