at a glance...

Hometown: Versailles, France
Formed: mid 1990s

Members:
Nicolas Goudin
Jean-Benoît Dunckel

Bands in the family :
Orange, Etienne de Crecy, Beck, Cassius,Beastie Boys, Automator

Notes:
Nicolas Goudin and J-B Dunckel began their musical safari as an indie rock act called Orange, but the down-tempo Rhodes-and-strings groove of their 1996 "Modular Mix" saw them adopted by the blossoming French house scene. Remixed by Etienne de Crecy early on, they later attracted the attention of beat fanatics from James Lavelle to Beck. Though they play most of their instruments live and rarely use sampling, Air's chilled, post-club sounds remain a favorite of the dance fraternity. Moon Safari was their debut LP; Premiers Symptomes collected early singles and remixes in 1999. Instead of writing new music for a follow-up, they spent the rest of the year creating the score for Sofia Coppola's first feature film, "The Virgin Suicides." The movie and Air's score were both released in 2000.

It's only got seven songs on it, six of which have been previously released, and several of which were part-written by other people. Yet Premiers Symptomes (First Signs, Francophobes) may be the definitive Air record. It's certainly the best odds-and-ends compilation you'll buy this year.

Premiers Symptomes is so vital because it lays down the essential Air sound, free of the vocalists and gimmicky samples that reshaped Moon Safari (for better and sometimes worse). "Modular Mix" and "Casanova 70," Air's first two singles co-produced with Etienne de Crecy, open this album and crystallize the Air experience. Warm, funky, retro-futurist and delightfully singular, this was music that managed to sound both completely original and comfortably familiar. That "Modular Mix" first appeared in 1995 is amazing: Why did we make them wait so long?

From there, it was simply a matter of not screwing things up, which these two gentle craftsmen managed with ease. "J'ai Dormi Sous L'Eau" and "Le Soleil Est Pres De Moi" obliterate the line between mellow electronica and easy listening, yet the result is so richly soulful that you can't help but rethink your musical values: There isn't an ounce of punk rock here, yet it's almost impossible to care.

"Californie" threatens a more assertive funkiness before easing into another lullaby; only the remix of Alex Gopher's "Brakes On" breaks the soothing spell. It's nicely funky and proof, alongside Air's excellent live shows, that these boys are quite versatile. Not that versatility matters much - with such clearly defined strengths, Air's tender music should be warming our hearts for years to come.