Description
Air: Nicolas Godin (spoken vocals, talk box, acoustic & electric guitars, harmonica, Wurlitzer, organ, Mini-Moog synthesizer, vocoder, synthesizer, glockenspiel, bass, tambourine, shaker, percussion, drum programming, sound effects, background vocals); Jean Benoit Dunckel (spoken vocals, strings, syrinx, piano, Fender Rhodes, Wurliitzer, organ, Melotron, clavinet, Mini-Moog synthesizer, synthesizers, glockenspiel, hand claps, sound effects, background vocals).
Additional personnel includes: David Whitaker (conductor); Enfants Square Burcq (vocals); Beth Hirsch (spoken vocals); P. Woodcock (acoustic guitar, tuba); Eric Regert (organ); Marlon (drums); Stephane "Alf" Briat, Caroline L. (hand claps).
Producers: Jean-Benoit Dunckel, Nicolas Godin.
Engineers: Jean-Benoit Dunckel, Nicolas Godin, Stephane "Alf" Briat.
Principally recorded at Around The Golf studio and Gang Studio, Paris, France.
Their trans-Atlantic notoriety may have come amidst compilations of French house and electronic scenes, but Nicolas Godin and JB Dunckel are not just another pair of Gallic beat-miners. Like DJs and studio wizards, the duo known as Air does construct their records pastiche-style; but instead of unleashing dancefloor-friendly "tracks", they come up with mellow abstractions for retro-minded chill-out rooms, flaunting their analog instrumentation and love for make-out melodies every step of the way.
MOON SAFARI, Air's full-length debut, is like a fuzzy, blissful daydream in which a glowing ambiance pervades over a crossroads of '60s French pop, '70s Philly soul and '80s Eurodisco. Rarely does the tempo reach mid, and when it does ("Kelly Watch The Stars" and "Le Voyage de Penelope"), it's on the strength of funky synth-pop grooves. Overall, their sounds are rarely less than kaleidoscopic, enveloping the listener in happy, high-IQ muzak. If it sounds somewhat disposable, it's because all good pop should. It is the fact that one can't leave Air's aural confections behind that makes MOON SAFARI great.
Details
Released: Mon 14 Apr 2008
Catalogue Number: 2074802
Availability
Estimated despatch 5-10 days after ordering.