What I Breathe

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
Studio album by Mall Grab
Released	5 August 2022 (2022-08-05)
Genre	Electronic
Length	60:03
Label	Looking for Trouble
Producer	Mall Grab
Mall Grab chronology
Worship Friendship (2020) What I Breathe (2022)

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
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

Year-end lists for What I Breathe

Publication	List	Rank	Ref.
Resident Advisor	The Best Albums of 2022	—	[16]

Track listing

What I Breathe 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

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