This page concerns the French band Air, not to be confused with the Japanese band Air .
Air is a Frenchband, consisting of Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoît Dunckel, founded in 1995.
Their critically acclaimed first album Moon Safari was followed by the release of Premiers Symptômes, The Virgin Suicides (soundtrack), 10 000Hz Legend, and Talkie Walkie.
Although Air's music is often referred to as electronica or trip-hop and is often found in such bins in record stores, their form of electronic music really owes more to the synthesizer sounds of the 1970s such as Jean Michel Jarre and Vangelis. Other influences that are more readily apparent than house and techno are psychedelic rock pioneers Pink Floyd and KrautrockersTangerine Dream (although there are some echoes of dance music styles in the production). Another influence is french crooner Serge Gainsbourg. Air's music also has jazz inflections at times, and their ability to improvise is more clearly highlighted in the live arena.
Before they founded Air, JB and Nicolas played together in the band Orange , with others such as Alex Gopher , Xavier Jamaux and Etienne de Crécy — names which have recently reappeared in connection with Air's remixes.
Air uses many of their studio instruments (like the Moog, Korg MS20 , Wurlitzer and Vocoder) live on stage. The band performs the well-known tracks from the albums live as extended or altered versions. Air often works together, both in the studio and live on stage, with artists like Beth Hirsch (Moon Safari), Françoise Hardy ("Jeanne"), Jean-Jaques Perrey ("Cosmic Bird"), Gordon Tracks ("Playground Love" and "Easy Going Woman"), Beck (10 000Hz Legend) and, on the 2004 tour, with Dave Palmer and drummer Earl Harvin .
2000 Playground Love (Video, Sofia & Roman Coppola)
2001 Radio #1 (Video, Alex & Martin)
2001 How Does It Make You Feel (Video, Antoine Bardou-Jacquet / Ludovic Houplain)
2001 Don't Be Light (Video, Jean-Francois Moriceau / Petra Mryzk)
2002 Sexy Boy, Kelly Watch The Stars, All I Need, Le Soleil Est Près De Moi, Playground Love, Radio #1, How Does It Make You Feel (Promotional DVD for Everybody Hertz)
2004 Electronic Performers, Talisman, Don't be Light, People In The City, La Femme D'Argent (Talkie Walkie Bonus DVD)
2004 Cherry Blossom Girl (Video, Kris Kramski)
2004 Surfing On A Rocket (Video, Antoine Bardou-Jacquet / Romain Guillon)
2004 Alpha Beta Gaga (Video, Mathieu Tonetti)
Special projects
2002 Monochromaticomouss (Hormonorium, Installation by Décosterd & Rahm)
2002 Polyvibratorwaves (Hormonorium, Installation by Décosterd & Rahm)
2002 Orange Blossom (Peinture Placebo, Installation by Décosterd & Rahm)
2002 Ginger (Peinture Placebo, Installation by Décosterd & Rahm)
2003 Near Life Experience (Ballet, Angelin Preljocaj)
