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10,000 HZ LEGEND
Air
(Virgin)
"We are electronic performers, we are electronics," intones a muffled voice on the striking opening track of Air's highly anticipated new album, which hits stores Tuesday.
Truer words were never spoken, judging by the moody, often ambient material that dominates this unique 11-track collection -- best exemplified by the striking, largely instrumental Radian -- which contains ghostly vocals, ominous synths, a harp, flute and strings.
After garnering critical raves with the languid lounge-funk of their 1998 debut, Moon Safari, the Parisian duo of Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoit Dunckel -- who were seconded to score Sofia Coppola's The Virgin Suicides on what became known as the Dark Side Of The Moon Safari -- trip out even further here.
The most straight-ahead tune of the bunch is The Vagabond with Beck, who's presumably on harmonica during the song intro, singing both in regular pitch and falsetto when he's not breaking into laughter towards the end.
Otherwise, it's weird, atmospheric mood music all the way with sweeping orchestral arrangements, cool synths, the odd electric or acoustic guitar, piano and assorted effects and bleeps.
Highlights include the aforementioned Electronic Performers, Radian and The Vagabond, along with the Pink Floyd-meets-David-Bowie of How Does It Make You Feel?, the thought-provoking Lucky & Unhappy and People In The City, and the album-ending weeper Caramel Prisoner.
Elsewhere, Buffalo Daughter's Sugar and Yumiko hold up their vocal end on Sex Born Poison, while Beck makes a second appearance during Don't Be Light, doing his best Leonard Cohen impression on some spoken word poetry.
Track Listing
1. Electronic Performers
2. How Does It make You Feel?
3. Radio #1
4. The Vagabond (Featuring Beck)
5. Radian
6. Lucky & Unhappy
7. Sex Born Poison (Featuring Buffalo Daughter)
8. People In The City
9. Wonder Milky Bitch
10. Don't Be Light (Featuring Beck)