dinsdag 29 december 2015

360 records from 2000: 51. Air: Virgin suicides

51. Air: Virgin suicides



Country: France
Artist: Duo
Career: recording since 1996, 2nd album
Language: Instrumental / English
Genre: Soundtrack / Electronica


One undercurrent creeping through the last year of the 20th century, washed away in the garage rock flood of 2001, was the Revenge of Easy Listening. Indeed, there’s traces of that undercurrent running through this list. The saxophone on ‘Playground love’ is the high point of easy listening’s revenge.

Air were of course pivotal in the easy listening revival, with their early singles bridging late MoWax to French exotica. Truth told, I was impressed, but never overawed by ‘Moon safari’ – so many great ideas stretched over the boredom threshold. But on this soundtrack – their very next release – they still had the magic touch of their early years, but learned the benefits of brevity.

Yes, there’s only one song (but what an amazing song ‘Playground love’ is) and the rest is soundtrack mood music, but rarely has mood music sounded so evocative and magical. There’s a sense of dread and mischief creeping through. I love how both LP sides start off as mirror images with two returning melodies, then unravel with the characters from the movie. Perfect.


At its best: Playground love, The word ‘Hurricane’, Dead bodies

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