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Air: “Pocket Symphony” – Easy To Pocket, Hard To Take With You

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By: Alibastard | in: Music |

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Returning to the light, electro-lounge textures that put them on the radar to begin with, Air’s Pocket Symphony finds Astralwerks minimalists Nicholas Godin and JB Dunckel veering away from the more explicitly dark, danceable, catchy-as-hell territory that punched out 10,000 Hertz Legend and Walkie Talkie. Instead, Godin and Dunkel go for subtlety unseen even by their Virgin Suicides soundtrack, laying down angular banjo and glockenspiel quietly behind ex-Pulp lyricist Jarvis Cocker or Dunkel’s wispy, robotic pop pleas. And still, many of the melodies sound more like scene backgrounds than Suicides did.
Despite the sneaky production, engineered in part by Beck favorite Nigel Godrich, Air appears to be becoming more comfortable with instruments themselves. As the title would suggest, there is a sense of orchestration throughout this pocket pearl, not in any gaudy or woodwind kind of way, but in an occasional piano flourish, or once in a while a guitar line that strikes you as a little more dynamic than the preening French techno-coo duo tend to rub out.

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Keeping the tracks a distinct balance between electronic and acoustic instrumentation, the Air boys drift us through mildly hypnotic moods, occasionally inserting Africa 60 pioneer Tony Allen (taking Damon Albarn’s lead perhaps), once in a while nearly polluting an already ghostly smooth hymn with smooth jazz flutist Magic Malik. At no point, however, do they truly self destruct.
Treading closer to territories of jazzy folk music, 60s sentimentalism gone only slightly spooky and lounge pruned nearly new age, Pocket Symphony boldly submits to songwriting standing in spotlight, rather than allowing rifts and Synth gimmicks (of which I do love) to sell their sound. Rather, their restrained melodies generally resonate with a strange, sincere magic, on the verge of near embarrassment, reigned in by a warbling Moog line just in the background or a vocal filter that makes otherwise too-naked lyrics somewhat computer processed. All of it ensures that you actually allow a wind chime a la Spyro Gyro and don’t press STOP.
The result still preserves a haunted longing that perfumes your late night, but with no song that sticks around before a third or fourth listen. Songs don’t feel as compartmentalized or tight-knit, but they are not without depth.
Indeed, this Air is far more elusive, an easy listen in, an easy listen out. But, speaking as an Air enthusiast, obsession comes slow. Once it settles, it sits firm.

Air - Once Upon A Time

[Buy Pocket Symphony on Amazon]
Air’s Website


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Posted on March 28, 2007

Comments

One Response to “Air: “Pocket Symphony” – Easy To Pocket, Hard To Take With You”

  1. Giovanna on March 29th, 2007 8:52 am

    My mouth is watering. My personal French Gods are back…sooo classy. Simple and minor chord-oriented as usual, but every single note has been carefully pondered over and distilled in a deep harmonic whole. I like their minimal and yet complex music: a pocket symphony indeed, as D remarked. Still walking on Pink Floyd’s track…


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