Air
Air are an electronica band originally born in Versailles but now based in Paris. They are
Nicolas Godin & Jean-Benoît Dunckel and Air stands for Amour, Imagination, Reve. They are unfortunately in the minority of musicians who dare try an album which brings a new alternative dimension to their sound. Too many stay in their formulaic comfort zone. Air are definitely not in this category.
All their albums have tried new things and that is why most fans of Air's first album 'Moon Safari' did not get or understand 10,000 Hertz Legend (their second album), which is an electronica classic. Everyone was expecting Moon Safari part 2 but instead Air decided to get quite twisted and more electronic. Ok the album wasn't perfect: for one the lyrics are pretty terrible - 'Wonder Milky Bitch???' Who the hell is she?? However, you forgive them this because they are French and the lyrics are in English. I'm sure they mean something to them. This Gallic flair might not quite work with some of their lyrics but they translate it and transformit onto their instruments with consumate ease and with outstanding results.
Evidence of their brilliance and diversity is abound in all major albums they have done: 'Premiers Symptomes' (easy listening classic), 'Moon Safari' (dreamy and mellow classic), 'Virgin Suicides' (quite dark and Floydian in places) and '10,000 Hz Legend' (dark & electronic). 'Lucky and Unhappy', 'Sex Born Poison', 'People in the City' and 'Don't be Light' are all amazing tracks from this last album. Even the 'Barrico' album was a nice little addition to their discography as an attempt at something different.
Their third proper album 'Talkie Walkie' also sounds distinctively Air, a sound which they manage to retain throughout all their albums despite their attempts at diversity. However, 'Talkie Walkie' doesn't contain any of the awkward and rather disturbing sounds of '10,000 Hz'; it seems more of a return to the more tuneful side of Air involved with 'Moon Safari'. Yet it sounds very polished and extremely well put together even on first listening.
Check out the trippy video below of Air's 'Don't be Light' of the '10,000 Hz Legend' album:
 |
 |
1) 10, 000 Hz Legend |
2) Moon Safari |
 |
 |
3) Virgin Suicides |
4) Premiere Symptomes |
 |
5) Late Night Tales |
http://www.intairnet.org/
http://www.astralwerks.com/air/
http://www.airfrenchband.org/
Discography [title/(format)/label/year]
Modulor Mix (12") Source Records (FR) 1995
Casanova 70 (12") Source Records (FR) 1996
Casanova 70 (CD5") Source Records (FR) 1996
Modular (Promo) (Cassette) Mo Wax 1996
Modular Mix (CD5") Mo Wax 1996
Modular Mix (12") Mo Wax 1996
Super Discount - £ (10") Solid 1996
La Femme D'Argent (12") Source Records (FR) 1997
Le Soleil Est Près De Moi (12") Source Records (FR) 1997
Le Soleil Est Près De Moi (CD5") Source Records (FR) 1997
Premiers Symptômes (CD5") Source Records (FR) 1997
Premiers Symptomes (12") Source Records (FR) 1997
Sexy Boy (Promo) (12") Source Records (FR) 1997
Sexy Boy (Promo) (CD5") Source Records (FR) 1997
All I Need (12") Virgin Records (UK), Source Records (FR) 1998
All I Need (CD5") Source Records (FR), Virgin Records (UK) 1998
All I Need (CD5") Source Records (FR), Virgin Records (UK) 1998
All I Need (CD5") Source Records (FR), Virgin Records (UK) 1998
Californie / La Femme D'Argent (Promo) (CD5") Source Records (FR) 1998
Californie / Sexy Boy (Flexi-disc) Source Records (FR), Eva-Tone Soundsheets 1998
Kelly Watch The Stars (12") Virgin Records (UK) 1998
Kelly Watch The Stars (7") Source Records (FR) 1998
Kelly Watch The Stars (CD5") Source Records (FR), Virgin Records (UK) 1998
Kelly Watch The Stars (12") Source Records (FR) 1998
Kelly Watch The Stars (CD5") Source Records (FR) 1998
Kelly Watch The Stars (Promo) (CD5") Source Records (FR) 1998
Kelly Watch The Stars (Promo) (12") Virgin France S.A. 1998
Kelly, Watch The Stars! (CD5") Source Records (FR) 1998
Moon Safari (CD) Caroline Records 1998
Moon Safari (Minidisc) Virgin Records (UK) 1998
Moon Safari (LP) Source Records (FR), Virgin Records (UK) 1998
Moon Safari (CD) Source Records (FR), Virgin Records (UK) 1998
Sexy Boy (Cassette) Virgin Records (UK) 1998
Sexy Boy (12") Source Records (FR), Virgin Records (UK) 1998
Sexy Boy (CD5") Source Records (FR), Virgin Records (UK) 1998
Sexy Boy (CD5") Source Records (FR) 1998
Sexy Boy (12") Caroline Records 1998
Sexy Boy (7") Source Records (FR) 1998
Sexy Boy (CD5") Caroline Records 1998
Sexy Boy (Deep Dish Remixes) (Promo) (12") Virgin Records (UK) 1998
Sexy Boy (Promo) (7") Virgin Records (UK), Source Records (FR) 1998
Sexy Boy (Promo) (10") Virgin France S.A. 1998
Sexy Boy (Promo) (CD5") Virgin France S.A. 1998
Eating Sleeping Waiting and Playing - A Film About Air On Tour (DVD) Source Records (FR) 1999
Premiers Symptômes (CD) Virgin Records (UK) 1999
Premiers Symptômes (CD) Astralwerks 1999
Premiers Symptômes (LP) Source Records (FR) 1999
Premiers Symptômes (LP) Virgin Records (UK) 1999
Premiers Symptômes (CD) Source Records (FR) 1999
Premiers Symptômes (CDE (Enhanced CD)) Source Records (FR) 1999
The Virgin Suicides (Promo) (CD) Source Records (FR) 1999
Playground Love (7") Record Makers, Source Records (FR) 2000
Playground Love (CD5") Astralwerks 2000
Playground Love (12") Virgin Records (UK), Source Records (FR) 2000
Playground Love (CD5") Record Makers, Source Records (FR) 2000
Playground Love (CD5") Virgin Records (UK), Source Records (FR) 2000
Playground Love (CD5") Source Records (FR), Record Makers 2000
The Virgin Suicides (CD) Record Makers, Virgin Records (UK), Source Records (FR) 2000
The Virgin Suicides (CD) Astralwerks 2000
The Virgin Suicides (LP) Astralwerks 2000
The Virgin Suicides (LP) Virgin Records (UK), Source Records (FR) 2000
The Virgin Suicides (Minidisc) Source Records (FR) 2000
The Virgin Suicides (CD) Virgin Records (Japan) 2000
10,000 Hz Legend (2xLP) Source Records (FR), Virgin Records (UK) 2001
10,000 Hz Legend (CD) Virgin records (Japan) 2001
10,000 Hz Legend (CD) Source Records (FR), Virgin Records (UK) 2001
10,000Hz Legend (CD) Astralwerks 2001
Concerts (CD5") Source Records (FR) 2001
Don't Be Light (Promo) (CD5") Source Records (FR) 2001
Le Soleil Est Près De Moi (Remixes) (CD5") Source Records (FR) 2001
Radio # 1 (Promo) (CD5") Virgin France S.A. 2001
Radio # 1 (Promo) (CD5") Source Records (FR) 2001
Radio #1 (CD5") Virgin Records (UK) 2001
Radio #1 (CD5") Source Records (FR) 2001
Radio #1 (12") Virgin Records (UK) 2001
Radio #1 (7") Source Records (FR), Virgin Records (UK) 2001
Radio #1 (CD5") Source Records (FR) 2001
Radio #1 (12") Source Records (FR) 2001
Radio #1 (Promo) (CD5") Astralwerks 2001
10 000 Hz Legend / Everybody Hertz (Box Set + CDE (Enhanced CD) + CD) Virgin Records (UK) 2002
Don't Be Light (12") Source Records (FR), Virgin Records (UK) 2002
Don't Be Light (12") Source Records (FR) 2002
Don't Be Light (Remixes) (2x12") Virgin France S.A. 2002
Don't Be Light (Remixes) (12") Virgin France S.A. 2002
Everybody Hertz (CD) Virgin Records (UK) 2002
Everybody Hertz (CD) Astralwerks 2002
Everybody Hertz (2xLP) Source Records (FR) 2002
Everybody Hertz (CDE (Enhanced CD)) Source Records (FR), Virgin Records (UK) 2002
How Does It Make You Feel? (7") Virgin Records (UK), Source Records (FR) 2002
People In The City (12") Virgin Records (UK) 2002
Videos (DVD) Source Records (FR) 2002
Cherry Blossom Girl (Promo) (CD5") Source Records (FR) 2003
City Reading (CD) Record Makers, Source Records (FR), Source UK 2003
City Reading (2xLP) Record Makers 2003
City Reading (CD) Astralwerks 2003
Moon Safari / Premiers Symptomes / The Virgin Suicides (Box Set + 3xCD) Virgin Records (UK) 2003
Alpha Beta Gaga (12") Virgin Records (UK) 2004
Alpha Beta Gaga (CD5") Virgin Records (UK), Source Records (FR) 2004
Alpha Beta Gaga (CD5") Source Records (FR) 2004
Alpha Beta Gaga (Promo) (12") Virgin Records (UK) 2004
Cherries (CD5") Source Records (FR) 2004
Cherry Blossom Girl (12") Source Records (FR) 2004
Cherry Blossom Girl (CD5") Astralwerks 2004
Cherry Blossom Girl (7") Virgin Music (France) 2004
Cherry Blossom Girl (CD5") Source Records (FR) 2004
Cherry Blossom Girl (CD5") Source Records (FR) 2004
Premiers Symptomes / Moon Safari / 10 000 Hz Legend (Box Set) EMI Records (UK) 2004
Surfing On A Rocket (12") Virgin Records (UK), Source Records (FR) 2004
Surfing On A Rocket (12") Source Records (FR) 2004
Surfing On A Rocket (7") Virgin Music (France) 2004
Surfing On A Rocket (CD5") Source Records (FR) 2004
Surfing On A Rocket (12") Source Records (FR) 2004
Surfing On A Rocket (Promo) (CD5") Source Records (FR), Virgin Records (UK) 2004
Surfing On A Rocket E.P. (CD5") Astralwerks 2004
Talkie Walkie (LP) Virgin Music (France) 2004
Talkie Walkie (CDE (Enhanced CD) + DVD) Source Records (FR), Virgin Records (UK), Astralwerks 2004
Talkie Walkie (CD) Source Records (FR) 2004
Talkie Walkie (CD) Virgin Records (UK), Source Records (FR) 2004
Talkie Walkie (CD) Astralwerks 2004
Talkie Walkie (CD) Virgin Records (Japan) 2004
Talkie Walkie (Promo) (CD) Virgin Music (France) 2004
Talkie Walkie EP (12") Virgin Records (UK) 2004
DJ Mixes/Compilations:
Deck Safari (Part 1) (2xCD) Polystar Records 2002
Deck Safari (Part 2) (2xCD) Polystar Records 2002
Late Night Tales: AIR (CD) Azuli Records 2006
Air Essential Mix (15/3/1998)
Pink Floyd - "More" Jacques Dutronc - "Le Temps Des Copains" Horace Andy - "Spying Glass" Lou Reed - "Lady Day" Rolling Stones - "Fingerprint File" Air - "Remember (David Whitaker Version)" Parliament - "I Just Got Back" The Beatles - "Tomorrow Never Knows" Brigltte Bardot - "Contact" Casion Royale - "The Look Of Love" Etienne De Crécy - "Prix Choc" Iggy Pop - "Dum Dum Boys" Thomas Bangalter - "Ventura" Prince - "Papa" Kraftwerk - "Europe Endless" Idrlss - "Loran's Dance" Buffalo Daughter - "Jellyfish Blues" Funkabelic - "No Head No Backstage Pass" Air - "You Make It Easy [Demo]" Shirley Bassy - "Light My Fire" Prince - "The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker" Chateau Flight - "Monorama" Serge Gainsbourg - "Cannabis" Michael Jackson - "Ben" Beach Boys - "Money Mark" Money Mark - "Trust" Snoop Doggy Dog - "Gz and Hustles" Beastie Boys - "Transitions" Prince - "Bob George" Soratch-Pet-Land - "Up From The Skies"
Air Live from the BBC (2/11/1998)
Close Encounters, Talisman, Kelly Watch the Stars, Le Soleil est pres de Moi, Be A Bee, Sexy Boy, Le Voyage de Penelope, Tomorrow Never Knows, You Make It Easy, All I need, The Lightest, My Book, New Star in the Sky
Air Live on German Radio
1. Talisman 2. Remember 3. J'ai Dormi sous L'eau 4. Le Soleil est pres de moi 5. Kelly Watch the Stars 6. Be a Bee 7. Maggot Brain 8. My Book 9. The Lightest 10. You Make it Easy 11. Jeanne
Air Live at the Paradiso (6/2/2004)
1. Radian Intro 2. Radian 3. Venus 4. Alpha Beta Gaga 5. Run 6. J'ai Dormi Sous L'eau 7. Surfin on a Rocket 8. People in the City 9. Talisman 10. Another Day 11. Wonder Milky Bitch 12. Cherry Blossom Girl 13. Kelly Watch the Stars 14. Biological 15. Sexy Boy 16. La Femme D'argent
