Send "Air " Ringtones to your Cell 
| Sputnikmusic |
 It should come as no surprise that Georges Melies’ acclaimed Le Voyage Dans La Lune (A Trip To The Moon) would arrive in the same year as man’s attempt to reach the farthest points of the as-yet, undiscovered regions of the world: the 1902 Discovery Expedition. Here was a world now fully wrapped up in the wide-eyed wonderment of a new century, pre world war and economic breakdown, fresh from the marvels and discoveries of the industrial revolution, ready and waiting for the technological marvels earlier hinted at to be put to practical use. Melies’ film captured the imagination of a world eager to explore beyond its boundaries, to push the pursuit of the unknown one step further beyond the previously unimaginable. Putting aside its acclaim as the world’s first fully-fledged science fiction movie, it riveted a world already obsessed with what lay beyond our own skies, thanks largely in part to H.G. Wells’ War Of The Worlds, released only a few scant years earlier. Air’s latest release, part new LP and part quasi-soundtrack to the re-released and painstakingly reproduced 16 minute film attempts to capture that sense of adventure, that exhilarating nervousness at conquering the unknown. And while for the most part it finds itself successful, it does so in the most unorthodox of fashions. Le Voyage Dans La Lune is an exercise in exploration, both in atmosphere and design. Built around the French duo’s respectable command of downtempo chillout and psychedelic rock (a love affair introduced on their second official full-length, 2001’s 10,000 Hz Legends), nods to the wandering mysticism of Pink Floyd and the comical synthesizer driven rock of the 60’s are also on full display. And while these jaunts into the deep swinging grooves of yesteryear have seen the duo veer wildly off course from their drugged out and sexed up beginnings, it oddly works here, however it ends up being perhaps a touch more charming and cute than anything truly honest – ‘Sonic Armada’ with its nonsensical squeals is on the one hand, a stroke of genius, and yet strangely grating at the same time. That it’s followed up by the masterstroke that is ‘Who Am I Now?’ (a collaboration with indie poppers Au Revoir Simone) is also calmingly unpleasant; the distinct transition between the two is absurdly jarring, given that the two pieces operate on completely different plains – one a rambling and rollicking bubblegum rock concoction of Scooby Doo proportions, the other a kaleidoscopic fairy tale that attempts to posit the notion that if here we are, in the heavens surrounded by the presence of gods, does that not make us gods ourselves? But the payoff here is that Air are working under the guise of orchestration, providing illumination to silent anecdotes. As such, the album twists and turns, loosely returning to threads whilst in the midst of discovering new ones, playing along with the scene changes. And under that guise it allows the French duo to finally work to a consistent theme, something that they’ve apparently had a hard time adapting to recently. Working to a specific idea they excel, much in the same way as they did with their excellent interpretation of The Virgin Suicides. ‘Astronomic Club’ is all menace and foreboding, an overture that attempts to prey on the doubts of the perilous journey ahead, while by comparison ‘Decollage’ is the long overdue arrival, mysterious and tentative as the first steps in a strange new world....full text |
| Bbc |
| A classic black-and-white short, silent film by revered French director Georges Méliès from 1902, Le Voyage Dans La Lune (A Trip to the Moon) is rightfully considered one of the most important pieces in cinema history, itself inspired by HG Wells and Jules Verne. In the years since its unveiling, the film has influenced (read: been nicked by) a whole range of talented artists and musicians… and The Mighty Boosh. Asked by the Fondation Groupama Gan and Fondation Technicolor to compose a new soundtrack for the film – an enormous honour, in the French film world and beyond – Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoit Dunckel set about creating a modern score to bring the film to the attention of a new generation. As luck would have it, the results were ready in time for 2011’s Sundance Film Festival, and the restored film, complete with its all-new music, continues to play to audiences worldwide. Removed of its cinematic context, Le Voyage… is every bit an Air album. Since their debut LP, 1998’s Moon Safari, allowed the pair to pioneer an entirely new genre of lifestyle-accompanying melodic ethereality bound by a flexing of terrestrial funk, inspiring countless imitators in the process, the duo has always been on safe ground when their subject matter is off-Earth. By no means strangers to the soundtrack – hear their wonderful Virgin Suicides work, and the elegant ennui of Lost in Translation – Air have conjured up yet another mini-masterpiece that fits the film and evokes the period it hails from perfectly. With guest vocalists Victoria Legrand and Au Revoir Simone on hand to play chanteuse roles on the sublime Who Am I Now? and Seven Stars respectively – tracks which easily exceed the usual vocalised fare on a soundtrack – and vignettes such as Retour sur Terre and Homme Lune, the album as a whole works well without the visuals. Opener Astronomic Club lopes menacingly, like spooky monks building an analogue spacecraft in the keen expectation of top-hatted adventurers. Cosmic Trip sprinkles itself kaleidoscopically into a starry blanket of layered keyboards, while closer Lava features a nice bit of what sounds like prog-banjo planking....full text |
| Guardian |
| We could start this review by saying: "It's not every band who can make an album inspired by French director George Méliès's silent 1902 film A Trip to the Moon." But technically, every band could, if they wanted. They would just be a bit rubbish. Especially Viva Brother. Unlike Viva Brother, however, Gallic duo Air are almost genetically suited to the task – them being French and space-obsessed. Plus, they've already been invited to compose a score for the restored film. This album sees them expand that project, and the decision to use live instruments gives their sci-fi soundscapes a warm, homemade feel, in keeping with the film. Surprisingly for the soundtrack to a 110-year-old sci-fi film, it's a niche listen. But, as proved on the sublime Seven Stars (with Beach House's Victoria Legrand), it can be a charming one, too....full text |
Air lyrics Music videoclips
|
| ||||||||||||||||
