Something in the Air

These guys are more new age than new wave.

By DAVID BRINN
some band air 224.88 (photo credit: Courtesy)
some band air 224.88
(photo credit: Courtesy)
Maybe it's because he doesn't have masterful grasp of English that Jean-Benoît Dunckel peppers his speech with The Jerusalem Post with phrases like "We try to find the fire in the song", "On the album, the songs are prisoners of the tapes" and "We wanted to make music for the human race." But maybe, Dunckel, one half of the celebrated French electronica duo Air, is just confirming what listeners have known since the group's 1998 debut - that these guys are more new age than new wave. Sure, Dunckel and partner Nicolas Godin grew up listening to the edgy autobahn sounds of Kraftwerk, and the icy rock of Joy Division, but they also absorbed the French pop of Serge Gainsbourg and the soothing '70s synthesizers of Jean-Michel Jarre and Vangelis. That convergence of influences resulted into what has been described as a light - yes, airy - classic disco sound coaxed into a relaxing Prozac vision. Whatever it sounds like, it's certainly struck a chord with fans around the world, and elevated Air to a larger than cult-like status on the alternative/indie scene. Sofia Coppola saw the potential in the group's music when she hired them to do the atmospheric soundtrack work on her 1999 film The Virgin Suicides. And subsequent Coppola flicks like Lost in Translation and Marie Antoinette have also featured Air songs. With heavyweight help on their most recent album Pocket Symphony from Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich, and Pulp's Jarvis Cocker and the Divine Comedy's Neil Hannon on guest vocals, and high profile performances like at last year's Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Air is poised to take over the world… and Israel. For their two shows in Tel Aviv, Dunckel tells us it will be a stripped-down Air, featuring just the core duo and a drummer. "We want to try a more minimalist approach, to get more out of less. The sound may not be as loud as usual, but it will have a different charm," he promised. Air takes the stage on Thursday at Tel Aviv's Hangar 11 at 8:30 p.m. and on October 3 at Tel Aviv's Zappa, 24 Raoul Wallenberg St. at 9 p.m. Tickets are NIS 220/250. For more information call (03) 649-9550.