Darkel [Import]

Darkel | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 19, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Astralwerks Records/Emi
• ASIN: B000GRU2IC
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #227,866 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

DARKEL DARKEL

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 70% great, 20% good, 10% o.k., March 1, 2007

By 

K. Hanton (c:\music) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Darkel (Audio CD)

Contrary to other reviews, I believe this album has a lot in common with bit and pieces of other Air albums. The main difference is that these songs are either a bit more aggresive, synth-wise or catchier and more upbeat. "Be My Friend" is sooo dark and powerfull(best track imo). If you've lost a parent "How Brave You Are" may make you cry. Your wife or GF will feel honored with "Beautiful Woman", or if you're if single "My Own Sun" might be your thing, and "At the End of the Sky" is pure pop sugar. I could do without "TV Destroy" and "Earth". but they round out this great recording with great replay value.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent but too much vocals, January 5, 2007

By 

has (Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Darkel (Audio CD)

I agree with the editorial review about the vocals for the most part, but I would not go as far as to say it would remain in the dark without Air.

The vocals are fine if you just listen to one or two songs at a time, but when listening to the whole album they tend to make every song seem similar. In reality, when you listen to what else is going on in each song the album is pretty diverse. The harmonies, chords, bassline, and just general sounds are very cool. These alone make it at least 4 stars. As for the vocals, varying it up with more lower pitched vocals (maybe from someone else) or drastically different synthetic effects would have helped.

The rest of this is not really a review of this album, but Air and Darkel in general: I have long been hoping for a kind of mix of classical-minimalist, rock, and electronic music. These definitely deliver that. More specifically, I was happy to read Darkel was influenced by Philip Glass (the hours, soundtrack to Truman Show, 1000 airplanes on the roof,..etc..), and you can definitely hear it in Albums by these artists. Most Notably, I would recommend listening to "run" on the Air Talkie Walkie album to hear the minimalist influence.

3.0 out of 5 stars Darkel - Darkel, March 10, 2011

By 

scoundrel - See all my reviews

This review is from: Darkel (Audio CD)

Well, even as Air moved away from 70s psychedelic rock after _10,000 Hz Legend_, Jean-Benoît Dunckel couldn't abandon that part of him entirely, so it reappears under his solo moniker, Darkel. His self-titled debut is cheery enough, a little slice of Gallic pop. "At the End of the Sky" sounds like something from the Summer of Love, and even if you can't quite understand the lyrics of "TV Destroy," you can appreciate the breathy percussion and rocking propulsiveness. There seems to be a strain of American blues in the lyrics, with an emphasis on spiritual religiousity ("Some Men," "Pearl") that sometimes feels at odds with the French vibe Dunckel is going for. But "Earth" serves as a counterpart to these tracks, with its more funk-oriented rhythm and its single earth-friendly lyric. And on the final track, "Bathroom Spirit," a bit of the Air aesthetic returns. This is a pleasant album -- not quite up there with the best of Air, but not quite as annoying as _10,000 Hz Legend_, either.