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Product details
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Track Listings
| 1. Space Maker |
| 2. Once Upon A Time |
| 3. One Hell Of A Party (Feat. Jarvis Cocker) |
| 4. Napalm Love |
| 5. Mayfair Song |
| 6. Left Bank |
| 7. Photograph |
| 8. Mer Du Japon |
| 9. Lost Message |
| 10. Somewhere Between Waking And Sleeping (Feat.N Hannon) |
| 11. Redhead Girl |
| 12. Night Sight |
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Certainly, it often does it well: 'Mayfair Song' locks into a dazed, lightly cosmic groove oddly reminiscent of Talk Talk circa Spirit Of Eden, all purposeful piano and moody, drifting bass, while the blissful 'Photograph' sees angelic vocals submerged within a tide of shimmering strings and trilling chimes. For the most part, vocals are fairly sparse, but there are two guest spots: the first from Jarvis Cocker, who murmurs like Scott Walker with a sore head through 'Hell Of A Party', and the second from The Divine Comedy's Neil Hannon, who invests 'Somewhere Between Waking And Sleeping' with an impressive melancholy soul. At first, it sounds slight, but carry Pocket Symphony with you, and feel it slowly work its magic. –-Louis Pattison
Review
While names like Bent, Lemon Jelly and Kinobe received favourable reviews and decent sales, it was French duo Air who were the undoubted kings of the chill-out scene, with their debut album Moon Safari its crowning glory. Hit singles like 'Sexy Boy' and 'Kelly Watch The Stars' combined the euphoric electronic energy of compatriots Daft Punk with the effortlessly cool, laid-back pop sensibilities of Serge Gainsbourg, while elsewhere the band expertly mined influences from Faure to Floyd to achieve an atmospheric alchemy that was both deliciously mellow and curiously uplifting.
Nine years after Moon Safari, Jean Benoit-Dunckel and Nicolas Godin are back with album number six, Pocket Symphony. All the tried and tested Air trademarks are present and correct - rolling piano motifs and softly lilting acoustic guitars, squelching synthesisers and cooing Gallic vocals. The problem is, this is now 2007 not 1998, and a template that once seemed original and timeless now just sounds tired and predictable. Tracks like 'Space Rider' and standout moment 'Photograph' will be warmly received by longstanding fans of the band, but to be blunt, we have heard it all before, and done better than this.
The dreaded star guest vocalist, often as good an indication as any of an act's flabby complacency, rears it head on a couple of occasions. Jarvis Cocker does his best to sound interested on the world-weary dirge of 'One Hell Of A Party', although he sounds positively inspired compared to Neil Hannon's breathtakingly bland performance on 'Somewhere Between Walking and Sleeping.' Maybe, like this reviewer, the Divine Comedy's arch-fop felt closer to the latter state after listening to Pocket Symphony, an album that frustrates and bores in its steadfast refusal to confront the creative rut Air now seem all too comfortable occupying. --Chris White
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Customer Reviews
In the case of "Pocket Symphony," they stick pretty much to the same formula as their previous release, "Talkie Walkie" -- sweet, slightly symphonic electropop that sounds like something to dream to Yeah, same ol'. Yet somehow that does't interfere with the enjoyability of this pretty, satiny music.
It opens with a hollow tapping and a soft acoustic riff melted into a piano melody. By the time the soft waves of synth kick in, the little melody is quietly hypnotic, as it expands into a shimmering little piano-synth epic... only to coil back up into its piano melody and hollow drumming.
That's "Space Maker," and it's only the warmup for the remaining songs. Air trips softly through a series of songs that are mainly gentle electropop, but with a few classical flourishes sprinkled throughout it. Piano, strings and a bit of horn all make their way into the music.
And they manage a few odd twists, which break the music out of its somnolent sound, and keep it from sounding monotonous -- rippling piano laced with twinkly synth, twisty synthpop, glitchy balladry, and an acoustic ballad or two with some soft keyboard. They even have the spare, twangy Asian-inspired sound of "One Hell of a Party."
Basically, "Pocket Symphony" has Air's trademark sound, which hasn't change substantially since the less soothing electronics of "10,000hz Legend," but they can spice it up with some unexpected twists and new sounds. Not a huge surprise, but very beautiful and soothing nonetheless.
The music itself is a shimmering weave of instrumentation and synth. The latter is pretty flexible, providing some ragged glitches, smooth waves, twiddles and twinkles. And it's wrapped around like a satin blanket over the soft guitar, a dash of horns and bells, and a sweep of soft strings just under the synth.
Not to mention that brilliant piano -- it can jab and ripple through the music. And the musicians have gained some new skills as well. Apparently Nicolas Godin learned to play some Japanese instruments, the koto and the shamisen, which add an exotic, angular edge to the smooth melodies.
"Pocket Symphony" doesn't go many new places, but it upholds Air's reputation for smooth, sophisticated electropop with the odd little moment of experimentation. Definitely a good listen.
Pocket Symphony is AIR's fourth `proper' album but unlike their criminally underrated prog experiment 10,000hz Legend and the slightly disappointing follow-up Talkie Walkie, this album has more in common with their motion picture soundtrack to Sofia Coppola's The Virgin Suicides.
For the uninitiated Pocket Symphony might be difficult to like. There's none of the duo's breezy melodies of Moon Safari or the hard electronic stylings of 10,000hz. Indeed, there isn't even a hint of a `radio-friendly' track so forget anything as catchy as Cherry Blossom Girl here. Pocket Symphony is slow and stately, melancholy and sombre. Like most of AIR's output, it's upon repeated listenings that this album really starts to weave it's magic. This is an album that demands you invest time to explore it's sparse but somehow lush world.
Common person Jarvis Cocker and The Divine Comedy's Neil Hannon provide guest vocals on One Hell of a Party and Somewhere Between Waking and Sleeping, injecting both tracks with plenty of downbeat, weary understatement.
Pocket Symphony will probably appease fans desperate for new material but it may be just too impenetrable for newcomers. It's a fine album no doubt, although it certainly isn't easy.
In my opinion, a nice approach from Godin and Darkel. Check it out!
If you've already heard Moon Safari and Talkie Walkie, however, I would recommend 10,000 Hz Legend instead of this - if you want Air with a twist of darkness, that is.
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