Customer Reviews

Moon Safari

5 star:		(209)
4 star:		(67)
3 star:		(19)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

I heard a bunch of wonderful things about Air through the musical grapevine and in reviews such as this one, it wasn't until I bought the CD and listened that two things were confirmed:

1. This is among the best ambient music CD's of our time; and

2. I'd been listening to this CD for years.

As it turns out, the owner of a local lounge (Blue Agave in Santa Barbara CA.) has had it on rotation for the last few years. I'd been intoxicated (literally and figuratively) to (and by) this music for quite some time now standing outside on their little patio, drinking, smoking, carousing...

I usually like to call out certain songs on CD's I review as noteworthy. I won't in this case however because every track is excellent. They did a wonderful job stitching their arrangement too, each track, while different, blend seemlessly into each other.

Unlike allot of ambient music, this CD will chill you out, lift your mood, but won't put you to sleep. I'm sure this was by design....a noteworthy accomplishment in that unlike the equivalent to musical smelling salt, whenever a faster paced track comes on, it doesn't offend with overly loud or obnoxious beats.

If you love this album, consider trying a few other similar artists. The first one that leaps to mind is Zero 7. Their new album "When it Falls" is a brilliant and similar comparable. Another wonderful new talent is Solar House, they have a newer CD called "Magic of the City" that is a bit more upbeat, but still very seductive and ambiance friendly...

Hope this was helpful.

Enjoy.

Not to go over board with this, but in my opinion, Air's Moon Safari is, hands down, the best electronic album made to date. Jean-Benoit Dunkel and Nicholas Godin, the french duo that makes up Air created a sonic masterpiece that captured a style and atmosphere there transcends time and place. This album has stayed as fresh sounding and vibrant as the day it came out; and this is quite a feat in a genre where most music sounds dated within 6 months. This is not cheesy kid's electronica - these compositions will embrace you like a warm summer day and move your soul.

This one is destined to become a classic. The music can only be describes as Futuristic jazzy lounge pop.The band keeps you hooked the entire Cd;I really dont know what else to say about moon safari other than it rules

Like a lot of other people, I dismissed Air initally until I eventually decided to buy the album based on that fact that I could not get "Kelly Watch The Stars" out of my head! Little did I know that I would totally fall in love with "Moon Safari". It's one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard. Perfect for listening to if you need to "chill out". I really mean that! This album could be prescribed as an anti-depressant. Unlike other dance music, Air use real instruments in their work and it gives the music a soul and personality. Most importantly though, Air have placed the emphasis on writing gorgeous melodies, so whether it's an instrumental track, or one of the tracks sung(beautifully) by Beth Hirsch, it will eventually work it's way into your head where it stays! My personal favourite on this album is "Remember", but other highlights include "La Femme d'Argent", "All I Need" and of course, "Kelly Watch The Stars". It may not be an "instant" album, but I can pretty much guarantee satisfaction after a few listens.

The simplest ideas are indeed the best and 'Moon Safari' is something of a simple idea: Hitherto unknown French duo Jean-Benoit Dunckel and Nicolas Godin get together in Paris and London and record cracking album of self-penned acoustic and synthesizer oriented, jazzy, ambient anthems and almost put Gallic music on the map. The album became an instant hit with critics and record buyers alike and is a perfect 'morning-after' record - particularly the stunning opener 'La Femme D'Argent'. It clocks in at over seven minutes in length and is a neat summation of what is to come over the following nine tracks. The electric piano (played by Dunckel) and the bass (Godin) meander to excellent effect and help make 'La Femme D'Argent' a rainy day classic. The musicianship is excellent throughout and Dunckel and Godin are shrewd in their combination of acoustic guitars and pianos and synthesizers - 'All I Need' being an excellent example. The aforementioned also features Beth Hirsch who gives a beautifully sensitive and unintrusive turn on vocals. She reappears on the later track 'You Make It Easy' which introduces some actually French sounding music to proceedings with the string and harmonica break in the middle. The following track 'Ce Matin La' carries on the theme of Gallic melancholia with beautiful results and soon becomes one of the best tracks on the album with the mellow tuba part achieving the greatest sound here. One suspects that Air will be here to stay for a while following the success of such an assured and strident debut recording - indeed the boys Dunckel and Godin have been busy fellows since 1998 writing soundtracks etc. - but can any future recording from them match the joyous warmth and mellow vibes exhibited in 'Moon Safari'?

although i am averse to the label "intelligent dance music", air really is just that. too mellow to be a party disc, too upbeat to be a stoner's favorite, "moon safari" is an irresistible electronic pleasure. dunckel and godin have crafted a sound deeply indebted to space-rock, lounge jazz, and 80s new wave, but it is instantly recognizable as their own. they stay true to that theme throughout the album, but it is certainly not repetitive. there is ample room for experimentation and innovative approaches to the chill-out, moody sentiment that dominates the record. smatterings of strings, robotic voices, and spaced-out sounds reminiscent of james bond are the proverbial cherry-on-the-top. "la femme d'argent", "sexy boy", and "all i need" provide a triumphant triumvirate of an opening, and the remainder of the album never lets go from there on. if you're at all intrigued by any of this, i doubt you will be disappointed by a purchase of this essentially flawless disc.

It's the CD that keeps on giving, and giving, and giving! I bought this CD 8 years ago and it STILL sounds fresh and current! Air actually made a timeless record the likes of "OK Computer"; seriously. Whenever I buy a new CD case for my car, it's AUTOMATIC to keep the first space open for "Moon Safari". Whether you're driving at night, chilling with your chick/guy, throwing a party, or just feeling reflective, you won't find a better album then "Moon Safari".

I wanted to hear what French pop music sounded like, and upon logging on here to amazon.com and checking out the sound samples for this one I knew I had to have it.

I wasn't disappointed in the least. Easily the most beautiful disc I have heard in years from a new-to-discover act since The Dream Academy, Air have a wonderous command of that special language called music that is a sheer joy to behold.

Spacey and psychedelic (in an innocently beautiful David Gilmour way), it's been accompanying me everywhere in my duffel and has yet to leave my sight. It's a disc for dreamers and idealists and hopeless romantics who thought that songcraft like this died in the upheaval of techno acts.

The lyrics are partially in French and partially in English, but since people in America tend to think that the French language is beautiful and romantic by its very sound and style (I agree on that ideal as well) it isn't surprising that my American ears find that the French lyrics only add to the disc's overall loveliness.

While I love the entire disc from start to finish, there is one standout instrumental which I think is the most gorgeous piece of joyful melodic poetry since The Beatles and Henry Mancini. It's called "Ce Matin La", and it conjures up images in my mind of roaming meadows with my dog on a bright summer day, of visiting beautiful new cities, of seeing majestic mountain ranges and sunset-lit oceans. A piece so breathtakingly majestic it nearly brings me to tears.

One thing I'm definitely going to do, though: the moment I finally get to see Paris as I've always wanted, I'm bringing along this disc to keep it pumping in my ears for the trip! Somehow this one strikes me as a perfect soundtrack for one's very first visit to the famous city. That's the only thing I think could possibly make the album any better!

Thank you, Air... you've given us all around the world a masterpiece that deserves to live forever. I look forward to much more from you!

(NOTE: I also recommend checking out their CD "Premiers Symptomes" which is both affordable and also every bit as hypnotic.)

I'm a jazz pianist so my musical tastes tend to be of the more complex nature. At first I disguarded "Air" as another simple, boring electro-pop group. My flatmate had this album and made me listen to it. I fell instanlty in love with it. I found that on closer inspection of "Air" there was great complexity in the harmony and chord structures, Soothing vocals and fantastic sound combinations. I tend to find that the majority of albums that I hear are just a collection of songs, some better than others, but none the less - only a group of songs by an artist. "Moon Safari" doesn't have that feel to it. It really holds together as an album. I've also found that a lot of so-called "chilling out" albums remain mainly at a slow tempo but occasionaly have a crescendo of instruments or a mood change. Air have got a wonderful mellow feel to their songs which remains a constant throughout the album without small sections ruining the mood. For this reason it is difficult to pick out a particular track, however I must say that "Remember" has a gorgeous chorus with a beautiful chord progression magically played but sliding strings and a synth sine wave. This is one album that you can put on without wanting to skip tracks or adjust the volume level. Fantastic.

This album is AWESOME! You just must get a copy, you have to experience by yourself, words can't describe the beautiness and quality on each song played, the songs "you make it easy", "all I need" are totally beauty with the smooth and sensual voice of Beth Hirsh, there are no complexity on the lyrics, but just hearing her voice makes you traveling among clouds and that'll be enough to fall in love with these songs. The other songs are just an excellent pieces of retro-electro-acoustic music.

that's why AIR has become one of my favorites electronic downtempo groups, the refreshing music makes me very comfortable, relaxing, getting in good mood wherever i go...at work, traffic jam, at home...

This one is a must for a lover of this kind of electronic genre