Moon Safari [LP]

by Air

Overview

Although electronica had its fair share of chillout classics prior to the debut of Air, the lion's share were either stark techno (Warp) or sample-laden trip-hop (Mo' Wax). But while Air had certainly bought records and gear based on the artists that had influenced them, they didn't just regurgitate (or sample) them; they learned from them, digesting their lessons in a way that gave them new paths to follow. They were musicians in a producer's world, and while no one could ever accuse their music of being danceable, it delivered the emotional power of great dance music even while pushing the barriers of what "electronica" could or should sound like. (Never again would Saint Etienne be the only band of a certain age to reveal their fondness for Burt Bacharach.) The Modulor EP had displayed astonishing powers of mood and texture, but it was Air's full-length debut, Moon Safari, that proved they could also write accessible pop songs like "Sexy Boy" and "Kelly Watch the Stars." But it wasn't all pop. The opener, "La Femme d'Argent," was an otherworldly beginning, with a slinky bassline evoking Serge Gainsbourg's Histoire de Melody Nelson and a slow glide through seven minutes of growing bliss (plus a wonderful keyboard solo). The vocoderized "Remember" relaunched a wave of robot pop that hadn't been heard in almost 20 years, and the solos for harmonica and French horn on "Ce Matin La" made the Bacharach comparisons direct. Unlike most electronica producers, Air had musical ideas that stretched beyond samplers or keyboards, and Moon Safari found those ideas wrapped up in music that was engaging, warm, and irresistible. ~ John Bush

Product Details

Release Date:	08/07/2015
Label:	Ais / Gc / Rhino / Source Uk / Virgin
UPC:	0724384497811

Tracks

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

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Air   Primary Artist,Vocals
Beth Hirsch   Primary Artist,Chant,Vocals,Choeurs,Lead Vocals,Choir/Chorus,Featured Artist,Vocals (Background)
P. Woodcock   Tuba,Tuba,Guitar (Acoustic)
Francoise Hardy   Featured Artist
David Whitaker   Director,String Conductor,Orchestra Director,Conductor
Marlon   Drums,Percussion
Nicolas Godin   Bass,Chant,Drums,Organ,Piano,Guitar,Shaker,Solina,Syrinx,Vocals,Cymbals,Vocoder,Talk Box,Harmonica,Keyboards,Mini Moog,Wurlitzer,Percussion,Tambourine,Synthesizer,Choir/Chorus,Drum Machine,Glockenspiel,Handclapping,Fender Rhodes,Guitar (Bass),Electric Cello,Korg Synthesizer,Moog Synthesizer,Synthesizer Bass,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric),Vocals (Background),Analogue Synthesizer
Stephane "Alf" Briat   Handclapping
Patrick Woodcock   Tuba,Guitar (Acoustic)
Eric Regert   Organ
Marlon B.   Drums,Percussion
Jean-Benoit Dunckel   Chant,Organ,Piano,Solina,Syrinx,Vocals,Vocoder,Clavinet,Keyboards,Mellotron,Mini Moog,Wurlitzer,Synthesizer,Choir/Chorus,Glockenspiel,Handclapping,Fender Rhodes,Korg Synthesizer,Moog Synthesizer,Vocals (Background),Analogue Synthesizer
Caroline L.   Handclapping
Marlon Bois   Drums,Percussion
Caroline Legroux   Handclapping
Enfants Square Burq   Vocals

Technical Credits

P. Woodcock   Composer
Jean-Jacques Perrey   Composer
David Whitaker   Arranger,Direction,String Arrangements,Orchestral Arrangements,Arranger,String Arrangements
Peter Cobbin   Arranger,Engineer
Nicolas Godin   Composer,Engineer,Producer,Recording
Beth Hirsch   Composer,Performer
Stephane "Alf" Briat   Mixing,Engineer,Recording,Mixing Engineer
Patrick Woodcock   Composer
Jerome Blondel   Assistant,Mixing Engineer,Mixing Assistant,Assistant Engineer
Michael F. Mills   Design
Jean-Benoit Dunckel   Composer,Engineer,Producer,Recording
Nilesh "Nilz" Patel   Mastering
Jerome Kerner   Assistant,Assistant Engineer
Jack Arel   Composer
Mike Mills   Design
Nilesh Patel   Mastering Engineer
Jean-Marcel Leroy   Composer