Pocket Symphony in the Air

I've been meaning to post about French electropop collective Air's newest album Pocket Symphony, but I just never really got around to it. So here it goes.

I consider Air to be pioneers--they have paved the way for bands that blur the line between electronica and rock and pop (see Zero 7, etc.). For some reason, Air has that ability to just strike a mood within the listener, better than any band I can think of as I write this post. Surround sound most definitely enhances the quality of Air's songs, as I find that they have been crafter to envelope you, dare I say, to suffocate you with their sweet and eerie grooves.

Pocket Symphony is really just an extension of the "Air sound". Great pumping basslines, soothing power chords, and of course, the ocean. I haven't figured out why, but they always seem to incorporate water sounds into their songs. But I digress. Equal parts instrumental and vocal, Pocket Symphony certainly gives the feel of grandiose arrangements (indeed like a pocket symphony). The album strays less from the longer, drawn out and rather redundant (not necessarily bad) songs that appear on Moon Safari or Talkie Walkie. These are complex, intricate rhythms that trap you in an icy cave of synths and chilling pianos. Songs like "Redhead Girl" and "The Mayfair Song" have that bigness to them that really gives the album shape, and tracks such as "Mer du Japon" deliver that electropop, laid back Air groove that I so adore.

Side note: Air also wrote the music for Charolotte Gainsbourg's 5:55, which I posted about earlier.

Jean-Beniot Dunckel (1/2 of Air) recently released a solo album simply called Darkel. I 'm not signing my approval on this one.

Okay, go and buy Pocket Symphony because you will be happy you did. And check out their myspace.

Listen to "Mer du Japon" (4.8/5)
Listen to "Redhead Girl" (4.6/5)
BONUS:
Listen to "La Femme D'Argent" (5/5)