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BY WILL KEEL
Combining two greats of the techno-electronic genre, Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoit Dunckel, both Frenchmen, AIR brings more of its signature smooth jazzy electro in its latest album, "Love 2."
The extreme minimalist themes, including a song titled "Love" (the lyrics of which are the word "love" repeated over and over), force the listener to stray from finding the meaning in the lyrics, and move to the music itself. The music instills styles of ambient, trip-pop and electronic, in a mix reminiscent of Shawn Lee's Ping Pong Orchestra and Danger.
Though extremely simple, AIR gives a clear message in its music: Slow down and chill. As some of the most relaxing ambient pop around, musty and mellow saxophone melodies are mixed with swift piano tinkling and soft synths from the French duo.
One of the unique aspects of AIR's music is the duo's use of vocals as a layer to their music rather than as blatant melody, as most musicians do. Instead, the vocals mesh and blend with the instruments, creating a canopy of sound to rest one's weary ears under.
Overall, AIR provides a satisfying, simple solution to finding music to chill to. Mellow is the key word when listening to AIR, as that is not only descriptive of the music itself, but is also what the listener is compelled to feel.
In a world of hardcore gangsta rap and death metal, it's nice to know there's still a softer alternative that is active and enduring.
Will Keel is a sophomore
