...
Although I am not really keen on "Sexy Boy", I am still not tempted to programme it out when I play "Moon Safari", and the whole album flows together really well.
"Moon Safari" a great soundtrack for a real trip to the Moon, so remember to take a copy with you if you ever get chance to ... Read review
Moon Safari - Air
Moon Safari, the first album proper by this pair of middle-class Frenchmen, easily ... more
survives unscathed from its billing as that most deadly of sub-genres: dinner party music. True, Moon Safari, with its blatant bliss-provoking easy listening chimes, sit...
survives unscathed from its billing as that most deadly of sub-genres: dinner party music. True,Moon Safari, with its blatant bliss-provoking easy listening chimes, sits...
survives unscathed from its billing as that most deadly of sub-genres: dinner party music. True, Moon Safari, with its blatant bliss-provoking easy listening chimes, sit...
Moon Safari [VINYL] - Air
Moon Safari, the first album proper by this pair of middle-class Frenchmen, easily ... more
survives unscathed from its billing as that most deadly of sub-genres: dinner party music. True, Moon Safari, with its blatant bliss-provoking easy listening chimes, sit...
Moon Safari [VINYL] - Air
Moon Safari, the first album proper by this pair of middle-class Frenchmen, easily ... more
survives unscathed from its billing as that most deadly of sub-genres: dinner party music. True,Moon Safari, with its blatant bliss-provoking easy listening chimes, sits...
Moon Safari - Air
Moon Safari, the first album proper by this pair of middle-class Frenchmen, easily ... more
survives unscathed from its billing as that most deadly of sub-genres: dinner party music. True,Moon Safari, with its blatant bliss-provoking easy listening chimes, sits well beside Everything But the Girl'sWalking Woundedor Portishead'sDummy, but the album is steeped in too much musical verve and gallic humour to become as dull as Chardonnay. "Sexy Boy", the first single, is a rock-out slab of electronica about a toy monkey, for instance--hardly the thing to discuss in polite society. This album's highs come with their two marriages with the contributing vocals of American Beth Hirsch. "All I Need" and "You Make It Easy" are shockingly successful, with Hirsch bringing gravitas and sincerity, flagging the album with strong emotional pointers in the midst of their musical adventures. If you didn't know, you'd think her words were sampled from a lost jazz classic--that's how good this record sounds.--Charlie Porter
A review by rsmith on Moon Safari - Air July 12th, 2001
Author's product rating:
Originality
Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics
Standard
Quality and consistency of tracks
Flawless
How does it rate alongside the competition
Outstanding
Value for Money
Advantages:
Great mood music, good tunes, varied
Disadvantages:
Brief moments of Euro discopop
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
Air's UK debut album, released in 1998, was a revelation for me. A concept album that was very nearly, conceptually and musically, naff, but that actually sounded so good you had to play it over and over. The album sold over 2 million copies so a lot of people felt the same way.
It starts very quietly, with what sound like the sound of rain, and then some percussion, a little like the start of Steely Dan's "Do It Again", but then the bass and the synths kick in and we enter another world altogether. Out of this world, even, as it's a 'spacey' sound.
As the album's title indicates, there is a 'space' theme throughout. It's not just the song titles (New Star in the Sky, Kelly Watch the Stars), the whole album includes effects which sound spacey, and on checking the credits I was surprised there's no theremin on there (the instrument used on the Beach Boys "Good Vibrations" and a mainstay of sci-fi B movies). It's definitely an album I could imagine playing if I were on a space rocket. So on the one hand a futuristic kind of sound; on the other very much a 70s influenced record. Think John Michel Jarre, Dutch band Focus, or Gary Wright's "Dreamweaver" (if you remember that), with a bit of Donna Summer disco, and you're getting there. Some of the songs come across like cheesy Eurotrash, and "Sexy Boy" is the best example of this, but, like Daft Punk, Air seemed to be doing this on purpose, in a knowing kind of way. So it's alright to like it, then isn't it?
The cover is very low-key, even qualifying the band's name with "Air - French band" - it may have been to avoid a dispute resulting from there being another band named Air? Whatever it seems strange, it's obvious that Nicolas Godlin and Jean-Benoit Dunckel are French - there's their names for a start, a song called "Ce Matin La", and half the lyrics, of "Sexy Boy" (destined to be played in gay clubs for evermore) especially, are in French. The song that I adore, and the one that I bought the album for, is Kelly Watch the Stars, has a wonderous, mesmerising, quality about it.
Another favourite of mine is "Remember", which has a fantastic Beach Boys style beat, and some nice electric guitars - because of which I suppose, it ends up reminding me of the late Pixies stuff, surprisingly enough. The album is varied. "Ce Matin La" is very easy listening in style, with a herb Alpert style trumpet, but even this manages to sound good, probably due to the guitars again. Then the track "All I Need" is acoustic-based, and features vocals from American singer Beth Kirsch. Although I am not really keen on "Sexy Boy", I am still not tempted to programme it out when I play "Moon Safari", and the whole album flows together really well.
"Moon Safari" a great soundtrack for a real trip to the Moon, so remember to take a copy with you if you ever get chance to go on such a trio. But equally, on earth, I would say, good background music for a quiet night in, maybe even for a spot of seduction...
One word of warning on Air's subsequent albums - unless you like prog rock, steer clear. This one is their best by a long way.
...been so evident as on Moon Safari. It marks a return to form for synth based melodies and luxurious beat manifestos. Together with Daft Punk and St. Germain, Air consistently poke fluffy marshmallows in the eyes of the mainstream and alternative scenes. Who cares anyway, when Moon Safari can transport you beyond the normal patter of song writing layabouts? 'La Femme D'argent', the 7-minute plus opener, is all hushed keyboard wizardry, background ... ...lack of straightforward vocals on Moon Safari. This means that when the elegant grace of Beth Hirsch's voice swoons on 'All I Need' it sounds refreshing. Hirsch returns on 'You Make It Easy' to sound almost glacial once again. For the rest of the album, the vocals sound like they have travelled through several kilometres of copper wire. At times Air's musical fantasy reaches higher summits. Like on 'Remember', a song that could have even the disinterested ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Great instrumentals Disadvantages: I cant stop listening to it!
...Versailles and their debut Album Moon Safari hit the charts in 1998. The CD cover is nothing special it depicts a drawn picture of the duo with their name in the top left hand corner.
Moon Safari consists of 10 tracks:-
La Femme D’argent
The first track on Moon Safari, La Femme D’argent is a great instrumental track and a cracking start to the album. It’s great background bassline and classy electronic piano solo is mixed full of futuristic sounds ... ...hit the charts taken from Moon Safari, if you watched Dream Team this was used on the advert on Sky1. A Great track, with a synthetic French vocals and reminiscent of a track Gary Newman would be proud of. All I need
The first proper vocalised song on the album. I can imagine sitting in a French bistro in Paris listening to this in the background. This is what Air are about, this beautiful track hints at the Air French sound with mellow English ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Beautiful relaxing tracks. Disadvantages: Sometimes it's good to be tense. Bring on The Clash!
...exactly the track's use on Moon Safari 9/10
Le Voyage De Penelope
Yet another peak on the album, the last track is relentless in it's ability to relax. The instruments rise from nowhere, and the tone is somewhere between Pick Floyd, Kraftwerk and Massive Attack 10/10 Overall Moon Safari is THE Air album to own. It is the album on which they most shine (at least for now) and is also the most accessable of their albums, ever so much more than the ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Blissful and inspiring. Disadvantages: Perhaps not as popular as they deserve to be.
This is the benchmark against which I mark other albums. It was when listening to this album in the car one day that I was inspired by it. The simplicity of the piano arpeggios in "Kelly Watch The Stars" made me look at my own composition that I was in the process of writing in a completely different way. This music is not only very good background music but is also excellent for listening to in detail. Everytime I listen to it I find something new ... ...are used with subtlety and musical intent unlike so many other artists who use such effects regardless of how appropriate they are just to prove that they can use them. Each song on the album has it's own identity whilst at the same time fitting together to form a jigsaw puzzle of how a perfect album should sound. It is consistent yet not repetitive. Some of the sounds in "Moon Safari" can also be heard in their previous album "Premiers Symptomes" ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
I first fell in love with Air when I heard Sexy Boy for the first time – that amazingly twisted bass line – that you will recognise when you hear it, alerted me to the band – and when I got their album, I was immensely impressed. The singles – Sexy Boy + Kelly Watch the Stars – are fantastic, but there are better songs on the album: La Femme d’Argent (lady of money – summat like that) has beautiful piano + bass riffs, mixed with highly strung Rhodes ... ...hear it to understand. Most of the album is much more relaxing than the upbeat Sexy Boy and K.W.T.Ss – one of those albums where you lie back , and just soak it all in…
It is a widely available album , and if you like any slow-beat, big-beat, break-beat music or you’re a synth player or a bass player – GO AND BUY THIS NOW!! ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Calming, smooth, suave, sophisticated Disadvantages: Only seven tracks; final two seem misplaced
...A collection of Air's early singles, before the success of 'Sexy Boy' propelled them further up the echelons of the pop world, this seven-track album contains real signs that the band were to go on to do great things. The slower, more dreamy tracks, such as 'Les Professionels' (which includes heavy references to a track on MoonSafari, Air's first album) are magical in the sense of mystery they create. The final two more upbeat tracks do not work quite as well, and don't seem to fit with the mood of the album, but as stand-alone tracks are fine. If you liked MoonSafari or The Virgin Suicides, then you'll love this. If you aren't familiar with the band, then you might listen to another of their albums before you can fully appreciate this one. Nonetheless, a great collection of tracks....
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Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful
Advantages: A few good tracks Disadvantages: Much weaker than Moon Safari
...How do you follow the greatness that was Air's last album 'MoonSafari'? Well, I guess we'll all just have to wait for the release of the next studio album some time later this year. However, in the meantime we can contemplate this Air commissioned soundtrack to the film 'The Virgin Suicides'. Like all things Air this album has moments of gorgeous and cheeky charm. Much darker in mood to 'MoonSafari' I'm sure the tracks here are better suited to being heard with the film's visuals in attendance. On their own they tend to feel a little lost and incomplete (many clock in at under two minutes). Recent single 'Playground Love' and closing 'Suicide Underground' are about as good as it gets. Much of the rest, whilst nice, does come across as aural wallpaper rather than an essential daily appliance! If you're an Air fan than you'll buy this...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful
Album Notes: 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.
Album Reviews: Q (10/01, p.56) - Ranked #31 in Q's "Best 50 Albums of Q's Lifetime" Spin (9/99, p.144) - Ranked #50 in Spin Magazine's "90 Greatest Albums of the '90s." Q (12/99, p.100) - Included in Q Magazine's "90 Best Albums Of The 1990s." Spin (1/99, p.91) - Ranked #5 on Spin's list of "Top 20 Albums of '98." Rolling Stone (1/22/98, pp.54-56) - 3.5 Stars (out of 5) - "...a truly obsessive hommage to easy listening, a sublime Eurocheese omelet....fits in with European confreres like the High Llamas and the Divine Comedy: orchestral pop that mixes the acoustic with the synthetic..." Spin (2/98, p.108) - 7 (out of 10) - "...this French duo offers up a sort of weightless trip-hop exoticism. But rather than pillage the usual African or Brazilian sources, Nicolas Godin and Jean Benoit Dunckel--tubas and Moogs in hand--travel deep into the cheesy heart of whiteness, cannibalizing Muzak, Italian soundtracks, and lounge..." Melody Maker (1/10/98, p.37) - "...MOON SAFARI is their lush, joyous, oxygen-filled voyage to a thrillingly non-specific destination....a dream of a record." Mixmag (1/99, p.49) - Included in Mixmag's "Ten Best Albums Of 98" - "...beautiful easy listening with 70s synths [and] vocoders....The chill-out sound of nine-eight." NME (1/17/98, p.38) - 8 (out of 10) - "...neo-symphonic bliss-outs for the next Generation Next. For the Jazz Club in space...a floaty, widescreen and spiritual music that updates The Beach Boys' instrumental odysseys..." Entertainment Weekly (2/6/98, p.62) - "...this French duo works the territory between sleazy blaxploitation grooves, naive rave-culture idealism, and pop songcraft. Though the melodies occasionally threaten to become saccharine,...Air leaven it with a welcome dash of Gallic irony." - Rating: A-
Titles on disc 1
1.: La Femme D'argent
2.: Sexy Boy
3.: All I Need
4.: Kelly Watch The Stars
5.: Talisman
6.: Remember
7.: You Make It Easy
8.: Ce Matin La
9.: New Star In The Sky
10.: Le Voyage De Penelope
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Listed on Ciao since : 25/06/2000
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