Pocket Symphony: Air: Amazon.co.uk: Music

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Amazon.co.uk Review
Truthfully it's been some time since Air's Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoît Dunkel could truthfully be said to be pop musicians, but their fourth album Pocket Symphony journeys further from the pop firmament than ever before. Slow, stately songs built around the tick of electronic drums, the trill of vintage synthesisers, and somewhat unexpectedly, some traditional Japanese instruments – the koto, a Japanese floor harp, and the banjo-like shamisen – it's an album apparently more concerned with texture and mood than crafting catchy pop fromage.

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

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Customer Reviews

20 Reviews

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

Average Customer Review

3.8 out of 5 stars (20 customer reviews)

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13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars In my pocket, 17 Mar 2007

By	E. A Solinas "ea_solinas" (MD USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)

Air can be relied on to stick to a signature sound -- lush and dreamlike -- and still be able to wedge in a bit of new material.

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.

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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great ideas, 18 April 2007

By	Douglas Miller "practical psychologist" (Pezenas, France) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Air have a sound and a style that is their own but part of their appeal is that their references are explicit. This album is no exception.

This a true return to form and their best since the soundtrack to Virgin Suicides. Some of their ideas on the previous two albums were interesting and just didn't work but this time round they have created a real 'whole'.

The two standout tracks for me are:

1. 'Somewhere Between Walking and Sleeping' - a terrific (and perhaps intentional) pastiche of Spirit in their 12 Dreams of Dr Sardonicus era. Given their well-publisized reference points this could well have been what they were doing.

2. 'Mer Du Japon' - stylistically close to Suicides and creates a great mood change when the album might be in danger of drift.

In a way it does Air a disservice to cite influences when they are such a unique group with their own sound. This is an album of the highest class and I highly recommend it.

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14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Electronic Performers, 20 Mar 2007

By	Johnny Corkers (Liverpool) - See all my reviews

Now almost 10 years since the classic Moon Safari was released, Monsieurs Dunckel and Godin once again emerge from their Parisian bunker with another slice of Gallic-tinged soundscapes, whispy melodies and movie-like operatics.
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.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

2.0 out of 5 stars Patchy
It seems that every alternate AIR album is a good one. Talkie Walkie was a lovely album but Pocket Symphony leaves me cold. Read more

Published 10 months ago by Bruce Percy

2.0 out of 5 stars 2 or 3 songs, and the rest...?
A few years ago Air did a song called "Don't Be Light". It wasn't very Air-esque but it hit the spot. Listening to Air in 2007 I just wish they'd follow their own advice. Read more

Published 19 months ago by AD

3.0 out of 5 stars Smooth and refined
To be brief, it's a wholly satisfactory album. There's nothing clunky or abrasive here yet it's a record which has plenty of understated energy. Read more

Published 21 months ago by casalingua@hotmail.com

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb
Suddenly you will find yourself at the end of this album wondering where the time went. There are no jarring moments of pop and no unsuccessful experimentation. Read more

Published on 19 Jun 2007 by Gordon Johnston

4.0 out of 5 stars A Great Return
"Pocket Symphony" does not immediately stand out as an Air album and is clearly a break from their normal style. Read more

Published on 6 May 2007 by James Berry

5.0 out of 5 stars It's no Moon Safari, but nothing ever will be
I haven't got this album yet, but I listened to it plenty on Air's official Myspace before they released the album, and it's definitely a brilliant piece of work. Read more

Published on 19 Mar 2007 by G. Rai

5.0 out of 5 stars Please look past the negative reviews....
To say there are not standout tracks is ridiculous - I will name the following tracks that have been on repeat because they're fantastic, listen to these tracks if you can and... Read more

Published on 16 Mar 2007 by Mr. A. FINN

4.0 out of 5 stars Pocket Symphony - a decent progression from the pop-heroes of France
I think Pocket Symphony is a brilliant production in many ways; it works nicely as a floating, semi-challenging, time-consuming atmosphere. Read more

Published on 16 Mar 2007 by saikobjorn

4.0 out of 5 stars It's not Moon Safari, or Talkie Walkie, but it's still a good album in its own right.
I've read all the other reviews of Air,s new album Pocket Symphony, and its obvious that there are two camps of opinion. Read more

Published on 13 Mar 2007 by M. Hamer

2.0 out of 5 stars No progress
I was really looking forward to this release, after being overly impressed with Walkie Talkie and of course the seminal Moon Safari. Read more

Published on 12 Mar 2007 by R. Easson

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	60% buy the item featured on this page: Pocket Symphony 3.8 out of 5 stars (20) �10.28
	18% buy Moon Safari 4.7 out of 5 stars (65) �7.78
	11% buy Talkie Walkie 4.1 out of 5 stars (50) �7.78
	7% buy Premiers Symptomes 4.4 out of 5 stars (15) �5.98


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