While you may not recognize the names Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoit Dunckel, you may have heard their music before. The duo that makes up the French band Air provided music for the soundtracks of Sophia Coppola’s movies “The Virgin Suicides” and “Lost in Translation.” Their dreamy electronic music can be heard at length on their new album “Talkie Walkie,” free of theatrical distractions.
“Talkie Walkie,” a title sure to trip up your speaking on many a recon mission to come, is the latest in more than half a decade of releases from Air. As a pop duo, Godin and Dunckel are far removed from the pop “song and dance” duos from the ’60s, not just in their style but also in their scope.
Instead of just providing vocals and sparse instrumentation, the pair plays a collection of instruments and synthesizers that you would be hard-pressed to fit in a single room: guitar, percussion, keyboard, piano, fuzzy synth waves, sharp synthesized wails, and even exotic Eastern instruments in “Alone in Kyoto.” The result is an eerie and experimental electronica that is part techno, but has far more in common with pop songwriting conventions than with the endless monotony of rave grooves.
The two most prominent things about “Talkie Walkie” are its repeated themes of love and a sense of darkness. “This album is about love,” says Godin. “This is what we want to say to girls but we don’t dare to.”
The opening track “Venus” speaks of undying devotion with the words “You could be from Venus / I could be from Mars / We would be together / Lovers forever.” Another track, “Cherry Blossom Girl” is an anthem for shyness, with the singer breathily crooning, “I never talked to you / People say that I should / I can pray every day / For that moment to come.”
Air’s songs are very mellow, and some of them get more than a little creepy — especially the heavily sampled and repetitious “Run.” The songs are mostly in minor keys, giving them a feeling of foreboding and darkness, with lonely, desperate lyrics to match. Even the more upbeat “Surfing on a Rocket” is synthesized enough that it makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand at attention. The cheery instrumental “Alpha Beta Gaga” is the one song on this album that will make you bob your head.
The vocals throughout the album are not only distorted, but also never seem to rise above a whisper. While most singers are out there straining their pipes, Air creates more emotion with less volume.
I have to admit that I was skeptical at first about Air. Their music relies heavily on samples and repetition, and the thing about samples is that they are just recordings: they never change, they never grow, they just repeat. Where a normal song grows and changes like a hiking expedition to a peak, Air’s electronica stays grounded, like a walk across a flat field.
This is a jarring change from the songs you hear on the radio or television, but Air is a different kind of band that I came to enjoy. Their music is aimed at creating an ambiance. Instead of putting you into motion, the songs give you a feeling. The raw emotion of the music is what makes “Talkie Walkie” enjoyable. It’s not for everyone, but it is music that brings with it an atmosphere that could be a new soundtrack for your life.
Jake Christie can be contacted at [email protected]