On May 22nd 2020, Air-Edel released a duo of compilation albums entitled Fresh Air… Breathe In and Fresh Air… Breathe Out through their label Besant Hall Records. The albums will be available across all digital platforms, with proceeds from the album sales, downloads and streams benefiting the arts and health not-for-profit organisation Breathe Arts Health Research.

Featuring music from Air-Edel’s esteemed, worldwide roster of composers and artists, the albums were created in response to the current COVID-19 pandemic as a way for the Air-Edel team and their roster to collaborate on a creative outlet, with an outcome that could benefit a musical charity. The twenty five tracks range in style and instrumentation and consist of both pre-existing, unreleased tracks and new works composed specifically for the albums, but each carry a message of hope, love and optimism.

“Our industry is one built on collaboration, whether it’s between us and our clients, composers and directors, or simply between composers and musicians. The impact of social distancing has been profound for us all and we wanted to find a way to stay together during this time – happily, the response from our incredibly talented roster was so overwhelming, we had to release two albums! We chose to sub-title them ‘Breathe In’ and ‘Breathe Out’ as we wanted it to be cyclical, with no clear first and second album, and of course, the name tied in perfectly with our charity partner Breathe Arts Health Research.” – Chantelle Woodnutt, Air-Edel Composer Agent and Label Manager

Breathe Arts Health Research’s mission is to turn fresh ideas and creativity into practical change for the better and they collaborate equally across the three sectors of arts, health and science, working with the very best people in each field. Their focus is on the individual. Their programmes are designed to have a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of everyone who comes into contact with them, backed up with robust clinical research. Their programmes are developed in collaboration with leading healthcare professionals and cultural partners worldwide, then assessed for its medical and economic value.

Their Performing Arts Programme (made possible with support from Guy’s and St Thomas’ Charity) is a suite of participatory music, dance, poetry and other arts projects that improve NHS staff, patients’ and local communities health and wellbeing, co-created with clinicians in order to deliver specific health outcomes. Their varied programme of regular performances and projects, run at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, improves health outcomes and contributes to a more welcoming healthcare environment. Alongside this, they run Melodies for Mums, a pioneering 10-week programme of music-making for women with or at-risk of postnatal depression, improving mental health and reducing social isolation.

“We are so honoured to have been chosen as the charity partner for Air-Edel’s new albums, ‘Fresh Air… Breathe Out’ and ‘Fresh Air… Breathe In’. Music is at the heart of our work at Breathe Arts Health Research – we see first-hand the calming and stress-relieving benefits of music on patients and NHS staff year-round. At these surreal times, music is more important than ever, as it helps us to connect both to ourselves and others. We feel privileged to partner with the wonderful Air-Edel, to spread a message of hope and compassion far and wide during such difficult times.” – Yvonne Farquharson, Founder & Managing Director of Breathe Arts Health Research

Learn more and listen to the albums.