Air (band)
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This page concerns the French band Air, not to be confused with the Japanese band Air.
Air is a French band, consisting of Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoît Dunckel, founded in 1995. Their critically acclaimed first album Moon Safari was followed by the release of Premiers Symptômes, The Virgin Suicides (soundtrack), 10 000Hz Legend, and Talkie Walkie.
Although Air's music is often referred to as electronica or trip-hop and is often found in such bins in record stores, their form of electronic music really owes more to the synthesizer sounds of the 1970s such as Jean Michel Jarre and Vangelis. Other influences that are more readily apparent than house and techno are psychedelic rock pioneers Pink Floyd and Krautrockers Tangerine Dream (although there are some echoes of dance music styles in the production). Another influence is french crooner Serge Gainsbourg. Air's music also has jazz inflections at times, and their ability to improvise is more clearly highlighted in the live arena. Before they founded Air, JB and Nicolas played together in the band Orange, with others such as Alex Gopher, Xavier Jamaux and Etienne de Crécy — names which have recently reappeared in connection with Air's remixes.
Air uses many of their studio instruments (like the Moog, Korg MS20, Wurlitzer and Vocoder) live on stage. The band performs the well-known tracks from the albums live as extended or altered versions. Air often works together, both in the studio and live on stage, with artists like Beth Hirsch (Moon Safari), Françoise Hardy ("Jeanne"), Jean-Jaques Perrey ("Cosmic Bird"), Gordon Tracks ("Playground Love" and "Easy Going Woman"), Beck (10 000Hz Legend) and, on the 2004 tour, with Dave Palmer and drummer Earl Harvin.
Their music has also frequently been used in commercials. "Surfing on a Rocket" is the background music for the Nissan Armada commercial (2005). "Playground Love" was used in a Levi's jeans commercial (2002).
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Discography
Albums
- 1997 Premiers Symptômes - (5 tracks) - 12"/CD Source
- 1998 Moon Safari - 12"/CD/MD Source
- 1999 Premiers Symptômes - (7 tracks) - 12"/CD Source
- 2000 The Virgin Suicides - 12"/CD/MD Record Makers
- 2001 10 000Hz Legend - 12"/CD Source
- 2002 Everybody Hertz - 12"/CD Source
- 2003 City Reading (Tre Storie Western) with Alessandro Baricco - 12"/CD Source
- 2004 Talkie Walkie - 12"/CD+DVD/CD Astralwerks/Source
Singles/EPs
- 1995 "Modulor Mix" - 12"/CD Source (the title alludes to Le Corbusier's modulor system)
- 1996 "Casanova 70" - 12"/CD Source
- 1996 "Modulor" - 12"/Cd Mo'Wax
- 1997 "Le Soleil Est Près De Moi" - 12"/CD Source
- 1998 "Californie" - 7" Source
- 1998 "Sexy Boy" - 7"/12"/Cassette/CD Source
- 1998 "Kelly Watch The Stars" - 7"/12"/CD Source
- 1998 "All I Need" - 12"/CD Source
- 2000 "Playground Love" - 7"/12"/CD Record Makers
- 2001 "Radio #1" - 7"/12"/CD Source
- 2001 "How Does It Make You Feel?" - 7" Source
- 2001 "People in the City" - 12" Source
- 2002 "Don't Be Light" - 12" Source
- 2002 "Everybody Hertz" - CD/EP Source
- 2004 "Cherry Blossom Girl" - CD/12"/7" Source
- 2004 "Surfing on a Rocket" - CD/12"/7"/DVD Source
- 2004 "Alpha Beta Gaga" - CD/12" Source
- 2004 Surfing on a Rocket E.P. - CD Source (US-version)
Compilations
- 1995 "Modulor Mix" on SourceLab - 12"/CD Source
- 1996 "Casanova 70" on SourceLab 2 - 12"/CD Source
- 1997 "Soldissimo (EDC Remix)" on Superdiscount- 12"/CD Solid
- 1997 "Cosmic Bird" (with Jean-Jacques Perrey) on SourceLab 3Y - 12"/CD Source
- 2000 "Planet Vega" on At Home With The Groovebox - 12"/CD Grand Royal
- 2002 "Dirty Trip (Live)" on Rarewerks II - CD Astralwerks
Remixes, non-album and live tracks
- 1996 Ollano "Latitudes (Air Remix)" on Latitudes - 12" Artefact
- 1997 Crustation "Purple (La Femme D'Argent Mix)" on Purple - 12"/CD Jive
- 1997 Neneh Cherry "Kootchi (Air Remix)" on Neneh Chérie Remixes - 100% French Mixes - CD Hut
- 1997 Depeche Mode "Home (Air "Around The Golf" Remix)" on Home - 12"/CD Mute
- 1997 Alex Gopher "Brakes On Mix" on Gordini Mix Remixes - 12"/CD Solid
- 1998 Étienne Daho "Me Manquer (Londres En Été - Air Remix)" on A New World - 12"/CD Virgin
- 1998 Air with Françoise Hardy "Jeanne" (Sexy Boy B-Side)
- 1998 "Mabrouk" (Moon Safari Tour, version of the title track of the French TV show "30 Millions D’Amis")
- 1998 "Be A Bee" (Moon Safari Tour)
- 1998 "Le Slow" (Moon Safari Tour, cover of "Melissa" by Francis Lai, Bilitis soundtrack)
- 1998 "Maggot Brain" (Moon Safari Tour, cover "Maggot Brain" by George Clinton & The Parliament)
- 1998 "Tomorrow Never Knows" (Moon Safari Tour, cover of "Tomorrow Never Knows" by Beatles)
- 1998 "Close Encounters Of The Third Kind" (Moon Safari Tour, cover of the soundtrack by John Williams (composer))
- 1998 "Blue Monday" (Moon Safari Tour, cover of "Blue Monday" by New Order)
- 1999 Beth Hirsch "Minor's Son" ( with J.B. Dunckel on Rhodes)
- 1999 Alex Gopher "Ralph And Kathy" ( with J.B. Dunckel on keyboards and MS20)
- 2002 David Bowie "A Better Future (Air Remix)" on Heathen (Ltd. Edition) - CD Virgin
- 2002 "Summer Love (Demo Version)" (Deck Safari Part 2)
- 2002 "Flowerhead" (Everybody Hertz Japan Bonus Track)
- 2004 "Easy Going Woman" (Talkie Walkie Japan Bonus Track)
Additional single and album remixes
- 1998 "Sexy Boy" (Bertrand Version, Bertrand Burgalat)
- 1998 "Sexy Boy" (Deep Dish Remixes, Promo Only 12")
- 1999 "Sexy Boy" (QAF Remix)
- 1999 "All I Need" (BB Breakbeat Mix)
- 2002 "Le Soleil Est Près de Moi" (Money Mark Remix, Premiers Symptômes Japan Bonus Track)
- 2002 "Le Soleil Est Près de Moi" (Buffalo Daughter Remix, Premiers Symptômes Japan Bonus Track)
Videos and movies
- 1998 Sexy Boy (Video, Mike Mills)
- 1998 Kelly Watch The Stars (Video, Mike Mills)
- 1998 All I Need (Video, Mike Mills)
- 1999 Le Soleil Est Près De Moi (Video, Mike Mills)
- 1999 Eating Sleeping Waiting And Playing (DVD, Moon Safari Tour)
- 2000 The Virgin Suicides (Movie by Sofia Coppola)
- 2000 Playground Love (Video, Sofia & Roman Coppola)
- 2001 Radio #1 (Video, Alex & Martin)
- 2001 How Does It Make You Feel (Video, Antoine Bardou-Jacquet / Ludovic Houplain)
- 2001 Don't Be Light (Video, Jean-Francois Moriceau / Petra Mryzk)
- 2002 Sexy Boy, Kelly Watch The Stars, All I Need, Le Soleil Est Près De Moi, Playground Love, Radio #1, How Does It Make You Feel (Promotional DVD for Everybody Hertz)
- 2004 Electronic Performers, Talisman, Don't be Light, People In The City, La Femme D'Argent (Talkie Walkie Bonus DVD)
- 2004 Cherry Blossom Girl (Video, Kris Kramski)
- 2004 Surfing On A Rocket (Video, Antoine Bardou-Jacquet / Romain Guillon)
- 2004 Alpha Beta Gaga (Video, Mathieu Tonetti)
Special projects
- 2002 Monochromaticomouss (Hormonorium, Installation by Décosterd & Rahm)
- 2002 Polyvibratorwaves (Hormonorium, Installation by Décosterd & Rahm)
- 2002 Orange Blossom (Peinture Placebo, Installation by Décosterd & Rahm)
- 2002 Ginger (Peinture Placebo, Installation by Décosterd & Rahm)
- 2003 Near Life Experience (Ballet, Angelin Preljocaj)
- 2004 Pink TV (TV Signation)
External links
- Air official website (http://www.intairnet.org/)
- Official record company website for Air (http://www.astralwerks.com/air/)+
- Official site for the 10 000Hz Legend Album (http://www.air-10000hzlegend.com/)
- Air record label (http://www.recordmakers.com/)
- Discussion Board (http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/air/)
- airfrenchband.org Forum (http://www.airfrenchband.org/)de:Air (Band)