Air

Moon Safari

French ambience anyone?

Review Score:

(10/10)
The simplest ideas are indeed the best and 'Moon Safari' is something of a simple idea: Hitherto unknown French duo Jean-Benoit Dunckel and Nicolas Godin get together in Paris and London and record cracking album of self-penned acoustic and synthesizer oriented, jazzy, ambient anthems and almost put Gallic music on the map. The album became an instant hit with critics and record buyers alike and is a perfect 'morning-after' record - particularly the stunning opener 'La Femme D'Argent'. It clocks in at over seven minutes in length and is a neat summation of what is to come over the following nine tracks. The electric piano (played by Dunckel) and the bass (Godin) meander to excellent effect and help make 'La Femme D'Argent' a rainy day classic. The musicianship is excellent throughout and Dunckel and Godin are shrewd in their combination of acoustic guitars and pianos and synthesizers - 'All I Need' being an excellent example. The aforementioned also features Beth Hirsch who gives a beautifully sensitive and unintrusive turn on vocals. She reappears on the later track 'You Make It Easy' which introduces some actually French sounding music to proceedings with the string and harmonica break in the middle. The following track 'Ce Matin La' carries on the theme of Gallic melancholia with beautiful results and soon becomes one of the best tracks on the album with the mellow tuba part achieving the greatest sound here. One suspects that Air will be here to stay for a while following the success of such an assured and strident debut recording - indeed the boys Dunckel and Godin have been busy fellows since 1998 writing soundtracks etc. - but can any future recording from them match the joyous warmth and mellow vibes exhibited in 'Moon Safari'?

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