Moon Safari (180 Gram Vinyl) []

Air: Nicolas Godin (spoken vocals, talk box, acoustic & electric guitars, harmonica, Wurlitzer, organ, Mini-Moog synthesizer, vocoder, synthesizer, glockenspiel, bass, tambourine, shaker, percussion, drum programming, sound effects, background vocals); Jean Benoit Dunckel (spoken vocals, strings, syrinx, piano, Fender Rhodes, Wurliitzer, organ, Melotron, clavinet, Mini-Moog synthesizer, synthesizers, glockenspiel, hand claps, sound effects, background vocals). Additional personnel includes: David Whitaker (conductor); Enfants Square Burcq (vocals); Beth Hirsch (spoken vocals); P. Woodcock (acoustic guitar, tuba); Eric Regert (organ); Marlon (drums); Stephane "Alf" Briat, Caroline L. (hand claps). Producers: Jean-Benoit Dunckel, Nicolas Godin. Engineers: Jean-Benoit Dunckel, Nicolas Godin, Stephane "Alf" Briat. Principally recorded at Around The Golf studio and Gang Studio, Paris, France. This remix album, centered on tunes from the 10,000 MHZ LEGEND disc, turns the tables on the usual relationship between proper album and remix collection in that it may be more interesting than it's parent record. The bulk of Air's charm has always been the stylistic tweaking and sonic hijinks they perpetrate over the course of an album's production and arrangements; they've never claimed to be brilliant songwriters. Thus, with the emphasis off the construction of original material and more appropriately placed on the band and their various collaborators' ability to make electronic magic in the studio, EVERYBODY HERTZ is in some ways more of a triumph than its predecessor. The Mr. Oizo remix of "Don't Be Light" is distinguished by Kraftwerkian, minimalist electro flavoring. On-U Sound's progressive dub visionary Adrian Sherwood takes "How Does it Make You Feel" to Jamaica, adding roots-reggae beats and Augustus Pablo-like melodica riffs, adding a new dimension to the robotic Barry White orientation of the original song. By the time we arrive at Jack Lahana's remix of the pulsing "People in the City," with its urgently lascivious hip-hop touches, Air's tunes have been fully transformed. The bonus live video track of the same tune provides a good opportunity to see how Air pulls of their complex arrangements in a performance setting, not to mention a chance to gawk at all their vintage gear.