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.
Ocean
Air Lyrics
Jump to: Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just remember, we the ones, outside with it
Around gators, lions, gorillas, handling they business
The ones, not in the streets, yeah took care of pretending
Watched a lot of books open, a lot of pages missing
Just remember, we the ones, outside with it
Around gators, lions, gorillas, handling they business
The ones, not in the streets, yeah took care of business
A lot of rappers getting lost, in this book called life
Hope the ancestors get at 'em at night
Acting like a little bum, little chump
Rappers playing the price, all on TV
But not living the type
Your grandma said,
I don't know the last time, I seen a young killer,
She don't feel the kid, gave the sweater last Christmas
I fuck with deep, yeah you can feel me with the fishes
Landed, crystals on the neck, clear vision
Gold locks, Playaz Connection took the mountain views
Most don't get what we talking about, or don't make it out
I don't get what you talking about, get them bags up off the couch
We just get the fire pyramid and blow them out
Just remember, we the ones, outside with it
Around gators, lions, gorillas, handling business
The ones, not in the streets, yeah took care of business
Watched a lot of books open (Rip Dj Screw)
But a lot of pages missing (Rip Big Moe)
Rip Fat Pat, Rip Gator, 3-2, Rip Hawk
Man list goes on, while I stare up at this graveyard yo
We lost our, heroes, while all of y'all, riding around
Acting like, y'all just go so hard, but Texas did so much
Mane where our love at?
On my momma Meret, on my momma Meret
On my T Jones, Rip Pimp C
Playaz Connection, we balling (Yea)
We, the Playaz Connection, live a lavish lifestyle and enjoy our success
Just remember, we the ones, outside with it
We are the ones who are physically out in the world, experiencing it firsthand
Around gators, lions, gorillas, handling they business
We are comfortable being surrounded by dangerous or aggressive animals because we can handle ourselves
The ones, not in the streets, yeah took care of pretending
Those who are not actually living in the streets pretend to be and we have no need to do so
Watched a lot of books open, a lot of pages missing
We have seen many people claim to be knowledgeable or successful, but upon closer inspection, they are missing essential information or experience
A lot of rappers getting lost, in this book called life
Many rappers become misguided or lost in their pursuit of success and happiness
Hope the ancestors get at 'em at night
We hope that the ancestors or spirits will guide them in the right direction while they sleep
Acting like a little bum, little chump
These rappers are behaving immaturely and we view them as insignificant
Rappers playing the price, all on TV
We see rappers glorifying their lifestyles and making it seem like an easy path to success
But not living the type
They are not actually living the lives they portray on TV
Your grandma said,
We are referencing a grandmother figure who holds wisdom and insight
I don't know the last time, I seen a young killer,
It has been a long time since she has seen a young individual who is capable of committing acts of violence
She don't feel the kid, gave the sweater last Christmas
She does not believe the person she gave a gift to is truly deserving or appreciative of it
I fuck with deep, yeah you can feel me with the fishes
We strongly believe in the ocean and its power and we would rather be submerged in it than associate with people who do not share our values
Landed, crystals on the neck, clear vision
We wear jewelry adorned with crystals to symbolize clarity in our decisions and vision
Gold locks, Playaz Connection took the mountain views
We value the scenic beauty of mountains and seek to enjoy it through our wealth and success
Most don't get what we talking about, or don't make it out
Many people do not understand our perspective or way of life, and not all of them are able to succeed as we have
I don't get what you talking about, get them bags up off the couch
We are dismissive of those who do not share our values and view them as lazy or unambitious
We just get the fire pyramid and blow them out
We use a method of smoking cannabis known as a 'fire pyramid' and do not view it as a significant or harmful activity
Rip Dj Screw
We are paying respects to the late DJ Screw
But a lot of pages missing (Rip Big Moe)
We believe that certain individuals are not able to fulfill their potential and we are paying respects to the late rapper Big Moe
Rip Fat Pat, Rip Gator, 3-2, Rip Hawk
We are paying respects to the late rappers Fat Pat, Gator, 3-2, and Hawk
Man list goes on, while I stare up at this graveyard yo
We are surrounded by death and are reflecting on the many people we have lost
We lost our, heroes, while all of y'all, riding around
We have lost people who we viewed as heroic or inspiring, while others are living frivolously
Acting like, y'all just go so hard, but Texas did so much
We feel that people are pretending to be tough or brave, but they are not acknowledging the real struggles and challenges that Texas has faced
Mane where our love at?
We are questioning why there is not more love and respect for the struggles Texas has been through and the loss it has experienced
On my momma Meret, on my momma Meret
We are swearing on our mother, Meret, as a way of expressing our sincerity or loyalty
On my T Jones, Rip Pimp C
We are expressing condolences for the late rapper Pimp C and swearing on our friend T Jones
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Willie Sykes
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind