Nicolas Godin studied architecture at the École nationale supérieure d'architecture de Versailles, and Jean-Benoît Dunckel studied mathematics, before forming a band in 1995. Before founding Air (erroneously considered as an acronym of Amour, Imagination, Rêve, which translates to Love, Imagination, Dream), Dunckel and Godin played together in the band Orange with others such as Alex Gopher, Xavier Jamaux and Jean de Reydellet. The former two subsequently contributed to remixes of tracks recorded by Air.
Initially Godin worked alone, recording a demo with members of Funkadelic as his backing band before releasing his first entirely solo effort, "Modular Mix", which featured production by Étienne de Crécy.
Career
After making several remixes for other acts in the first half of the 1990s, Air recorded its first EP, Premiers Symptômes, in 1995. The band released its first album, Moon Safari, in 1998. Its first single, "Sexy Boy", was heavily played on alternative radio stations. The album received universal acclaim and became an international success. In 1999, Air composed the score The Virgin Suicides to Sofia Coppola's debut film of the same name; in 2012, Air wrote its second score to Georges Méliès' Le voyage dans la lune.
Other works
Air has often collaborated with Coppola. Air drummer and former Redd Kross member Brian Reitzell put together the soundtrack to 2003's Lost in Translation, including one original contribution by Air titled "Alone in Kyoto". The soundtrack for Coppola's October 2006 film Marie Antoinette featured a track by Air ("Il Secondo Giorno"). Air wrote and played the music of the album 5:55 by Anglo-French actress and singer Charlotte Gainsbourg, which was released in August 2006. Air has recorded a DJ mix album, Late Night Tales: Air, for Azuli Records' Late Night Tales series. The release was initially scheduled for October 2005, but was delayed several times. It finally was released, complete with a new sleeve design, in September 2006. Darkel, a solo album by Dunckel, was released that same year.
City Reading (Tre Storie Western) (2003) started as an idea for a collaboration with contemporary Italian writer Alessandro Baricco, known for his unusual characterizations and lyrical, poetic style. Baricco contacted Air in summer 2002 with the idea to marry narration of texts from his book City with live original musical accompaniment. The performance premiered live in November 2002 at Rome's Teatro Valle and was deemed such a success that both parties resolved to make a full studio recording.
Influences and musical style
Air is associated with a variety of musical styles: electronica, space pop, dream pop, progressive rock, downtempo, chillout, trip hop, ambient, electronic pop and space rock. Dunckel grew up listening to both classical and electronic music, especially Kraftwerk. He later took an interest in what he called the "English dark rock" of Siouxsie and the Banshees and Joy Division, while being a fan of David Bowie, Iggy Pop and Lou Reed. Brian Eno and Cluster were two of the electronic acts who inspired him the most. He cites among his favorite artists: Maurice Ravel for classical music, François de Roubaix for music soundtracks and Siouxsie and the Banshees for pop music. Dunckel shared with Godin a special liking for the music of Michel Legrand, Philip Glass and Grace Jones. During his childhood, Godin was fascinated by the Beatles before later discovering the soul of Sly and the Family Stone. The duo were influenced by progressive rock pioneers Pink Floyd.
Air uses many of its studio instruments (like Moog synthesizers, the Korg MS-20, Wurlitzer and Vocoder) on stage, where their ability to improvise is more clearly highlighted. The band performs the well-known tracks from the albums live as extended or altered versions. Air often collaborates (both in the studio and live) with artists like Beth Hirsch (Moon Safari), Françoise Hardy ("Jeanne"), Jean-Jacques Perrey ("Cosmic Bird"), Gordon Tracks ("Playground Love" and "Easy Going Woman" – Gordon Tracks is a pseudonym of the French singer Thomas Mars from Phoenix), Beck (10 000 Hz Legend) and Jean-Michel Jarre ("Close Your Eyes" from Jarre's Electronica 1: The Time Machine). They also invited Dave Palmer on their 2004 tour and drummer Earl Harvin, Vincent Taurelle and Steve Jones on their 2007 tour.
Studio albums
Moon Safari (1998)
10 000 Hz Legend (2001)
Talkie Walkie (2004)
Pocket Symphony (2007)
Love 2 (2009)
Le voyage dans la lune (2012)
Soundtrack albums
The Virgin Suicides (2000)
Music for Museum (2014)
Extended plays
Premiers Symptômes (1997)
Collaborative albums
City Reading (Tre Storie Western) (2003)
Mix and remix albums
Everybody Hertz (2002)
Late Night Tales (2006)
Compilation albums
Twentyears (2016)
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Air is one of the many aliases of Pete Namlook. He has been releasing ambient music under this name since the release of an eponymous album in 1993.
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Japanese noise rock, Air is an alias of Koji Kurumatani first released album Wear Off in 1996.
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Air is a late 90s Indonesian Pop band that became popular with their "Bintang" song.
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Air was a jazz trio with its roots steeped in Chicago's Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM), and was formed originally in 1971. The jazz trio Air formed from within the Muhal Richard Abrams Sextet, which was active on the Chicago scene contemporaneously with the birth and growth of the AACM and groups such as the Art Ensemble of Chicago. Henry Threadgill on reeds, hubcaphone, and percussion; Fred Hopkins on bass, and Steve McCall on drums formed the trio when Threadgill was commissioned by Columbia College to score and adapt Scott Joplin's work for a performance honoring Joplin's centenary (Joplin's birth has been established now as sometime in 1868) and a rebirth of interest in the noted ragtime composer. All three men were Air signs in the zodiac, and so adopted the name.
They performed first around Chicago, while maintaining residency with Muhal Abrams group, which also featured Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre and Wallace McMillan, both reed players. The Air "brand" remained a side project until all three reunited in New York in 1975, and began recording under that name for India Navigation, Nessa, Black Saint, and Novus. The trio broke up when Steve McCall left in the early 1980s, and when Pheroan Aklaff joined in 1982, they recorded as New Air, and recorded several albums under that name, including Air Show No. 1 in 1986, which featured Cassandra Wilson on vocals. Andrew Cyrille ultimately replaced akLaff before the band eventually was superceded by the burgeoning careers of its members: Threadgill with his groups Sextett and Very Very Circus, and Hopkins as the go-to bassist for Threadgill, David Murray, and Hamiet Bluiett. McCall's health forced his retirement from touring around 1980, and the dynamic drummer and effusive and gracious man who was a cofounder of the AACM with Muhal Abrams and Fred Anderson, died of a stroke in 1989.
This Air is listed as Air (4) on Discogs and is also been identified on last.fm as Air (Fred Hopkins, Steve McCall, Henry Threadgill) and Air with Fred Hopkins, Steve Mccall, Henry Threadgill (sic: McCall's name misspelt), and possibly also other alternative spellings of the group's name exist.
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Air was a psychedelic folk rock band featuring Googie and Tom Coppola, John Siegler and Mark Rosengarden. They released their first self titled album in 1971.
Biological
Air Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Two eyes only
Its you
Some skin
Billions of genes
Again its you
That's why it's you and me
Your blood is red
It's beautiful genetic love
Biological
I don't know why I feel that way with you
Biological
I need your DNA
Biological
I don't know why I feel that way with you
Biological
I need your DNA
Your fingerprints
The flesh, her arm, your bones
I'd like to know
Why all these things move me
Let's use ourselves to be as one tonight
Apart of me would like to travel in your veins
Biological
I don't know why I feel that way with you
Biological
I need your DNA
Biological
I don't know why I feel that way with you
Biological
I need your DNA
The lyrics to Air's song Biological explore the idea of biological connection and attraction between two people based on their genetic makeup. The song highlights how even seemingly small physical attributes, such as hairs and fingerprints, can be significant in drawing two individuals together.
The first verse of the song focuses on physical characteristics and genetics. The singer notes that even though we all have billions of genes and plenty of physical attributes, there is something special about the person they are addressing. The second verse continues with this theme by referencing the idea of XX and XY chromosomes, which determine biological sex and, therefore, contribute to the unique attraction between two individuals.
The chorus of the song repeats the line "Biological, I don't know why I feel that way with you, Biological, I need your DNA." This highlights the strong magnetic pull between two people that goes beyond mere physical attraction, but also involves a deep biological connection.
The second half of the song leans into the theme of physical touch and the desire to be intimately connected with someone. The line "Apart of me would like to travel in your veins" exemplifies the longing to be completely entwined with the other person in every possible way.
Overall, the lyrics to Biological are a fascinating exploration of the depth of attraction and connection that can exist between individuals based on their biology and genetics.
Line by Line Meaning
Thousands of hairs
The intricate details of your physical being are vast and numerous.
Two eyes only
Despite all these details, we can only see just a small part of you.
Its you
All of this uniqueness and complexity sums up to create you, the individual.
Some skin
Your external layer that holds and protects everything within.
Billions of genes
The inherited traits that make you who you are, passed down through generations.
Again its you
Your genetic makeup is just as unique and individualized as your physical appearance.
XX XY
The binary system of sex determination that creates two distinct types of individuals, male and female.
That's why it's you and me
Our sex determines the compatibility of our genetic material, and that's why we are attracted to each other.
Your blood is red
Not only are you unique and individualized, but the very essence of your existence – your blood – is a beautiful and vital part of you.
It's beautiful genetic love
The attraction and compatibility between two individuals can be attributed to the magic of genetics and biological processes.
Biological
This innate attraction and connection between two individuals is purely biological in nature.
I don't know why I feel that way with you
Despite not fully understanding the science behind it all, the attraction and connection between us is undeniable.
I need your DNA
There's a desire to further understand and connect with you on a genetic level.
Your fingerprints
Even the subtle details of your physical being, like your unique fingerprint, fascinate and intrigue me.
The flesh, her arm, your bones
The physical connection between two individuals is something inherently fascinating and intimate.
I'd like to know
There's an insatiable curiosity and desire to learn more about you, your physical being, and your genetic material.
Why all these things move me
The depth of my emotional and biological connection to you is something I can't fully explain or comprehend.
Let's use ourselves to be as one tonight
In this moment, let us embrace our biological connection and understand each other on a deeper level.
Apart of me would like to travel in your veins
There's a desire to be intertwined with you, to fully understand and experience your genetic makeup and unique traits.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Barbier Jean Benoit Dunckel, Godin Nicolas
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind