Nicolas Godin studied architecture at the รcole nationale supรฉrieure d'architecture de Versailles, and Jean-Benoรฎt Dunckel studied mathematics, before forming a band in 1995. Before founding Air (erroneously considered as an acronym of Amour, Imagination, Rรชve, 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 รtienne de Crรฉcy.
Career
After making several remixes for other acts in the first half of the 1990s, Air recorded its first EP, Premiers Symptรดmes, 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 Mรฉliรจs' 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, Franรงois 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), Franรงoise Hardy ("Jeanne"), Jean-Jacques Perrey ("Cosmic Bird"), Gordon Tracks ("Playground Love" and "Easy Going Woman" โ 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 Symptรดmes (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.
Somewhere Between Waking and Sleeping
Air Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You'd see further if you'd only close your eyes
In unconsciousness I can find peace
Inside prison walls I can find release
There is a place that I have seen
Somewhere between waking and sleeping
Somebody waits for me
Is it too late for me
It's never too late, he says
Without blindness, there is no sight
You'd see further if you'd close your eyes
Unblock the failure
There is a place that I have seen
Somewhere between waking and sleeping
Leaning over the side
Trailing my fingertips
Feeling the water slip
Into the quiet night
Viewed from the wrong end of a telescope
I see myself, so far below
Still and silent, rest in peace
The thread unravels
Merciful release
There is a place that I have seen
Somewhere between waking and sleeping
Now I can almost see
Figures upon the shore
He's gathering in the oars
Where are you taking me
The lyrics of Air's song Somewhere Between Waking and Sleeping speak about finding peace in the midst of chaos or turmoil. The opening lines, "Without blindness, there is no sight. You'd see further if you'd only close your eyes" suggests that sometimes, we need to close our physical eyes to gain a deeper perspective and insight. This notion continues in the line "Unblock the failure," which could be interpreted as a call to let go of past mistakes or regrets and embrace new opportunities.
The singer then describes finding peace and release inside prison walls, suggesting that happiness can be found in even the most unlikely of places. The line "There is a place that I have seen somewhere between waking and sleeping" indicates that this sense of peace can be achieved in a liminal space, such as between dreams and reality.
The second verse continues the dream-like quality of the song, with the singer leaning over the side and feeling the water slip into the quiet night. The line "Viewed from the wrong end of a telescope, I see myself, so far below" could suggest a sense of disconnection from oneself, or feeling like an outsider looking in. The final lines of the song express a sense of trust and surrender: "He's gathering in the oars, where are you taking me?" indicating that the singer is open to whatever comes next.
Line by Line Meaning
Without blindness, there is no sight
You canโt truly appreciate sight if youโve never experienced blindness.
You'd see further if you'd only close your eyes
Sometimes you have to look past the physical world to gain true insight.
In unconsciousness I can find peace
In the state of being unaware, I find tranquility.
Inside prison walls I can find release
Even within confinement, itโs possible to find a way to feel free.
There is a place that I have seen
Iโve discovered a location in my mind where I can find comfort.
Somewhere between waking and sleeping
This location exists in the space between wakefulness and slumber.
Down at the water's edge
This place is near a body of water.
Somebody waits for me
Thereโs a presence at this location, beckoning me to come closer.
Is it too late for me
I question if Iโve missed out on this placeโs true potential.
It's never too late, he says
The presence reassures me that thereโs still hope to explore this place.
Unblock the failure
Remove the obstacles that have hindered my growth and prevented me from embracing this location.
Leaning over the side
Iโm leaning towards the waterโs edge, entranced by its beauty.
Trailing my fingertips
Iโm reaching out, desperate to connect with this location.
Feeling the water slip
As I touch the water, I sense a fleeting, ephemeral sensation.
Into the quiet night
The surroundings are still, serene and peaceful.
Viewed from the wrong end of a telescope
Observing myself from an outsiderโs perspective, I realize how far Iโve come.
I see myself, so far below
I see how much growth I still need to achieve.
Still and silent, rest in peace
In stillness and quiet, thereโs comfort and calmness.
The thread unravels
Loose ends come undone, bringing clarity to what once was muddled.
Merciful release
Thereโs a sense of freedom and liberation from whatโs been holding me back.
Now I can almost see
As I continue to sit in this spot, Iโm starting to get a clearer understanding of what it represents.
Figures upon the shore
I notice shapes and forms in the distance.
He's gathering in the oars
Someone is preparing to take me on a journey.
Where are you taking me
Iโm curious about where this journey will take me and what other revelations Iโll encounter along the way.
Lyrics ยฉ Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jarvis Cocker, Jean-Benoit Dunckel, Neil Hannon, Nicolas Godin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Gustavo Iturbe
One of the greatest AIR songs ever. My favorite in this album fur sure.
Sealion Daydream
Love when a band I love features another brilliant artist.. Now I have so much more music to check out!(=
Constanza Bonnet
Hermosooooo
K-leb
The title and lyrics perfectly match the music - this totally feels like something that would come on when I'm between awake and sleep.
K-leb
Experiencing hypnagogia you could say, or hypnopompia.
LadyJinx
Couldn't have said it better, but will add that the amazing voice of the singer blends in perfectly. Lovely song
natam3
LOVE this song. Merci Neil Hannon
Anthi P.
Somewhere between waking and sleeping
Down at the water's edge
Somebody waits for me
Is it too late for me
It's never too late, he says
FreedomOrNothin
Only 15,000 listeners. 0 dislikes. Seems appropriate.
Noxx
Someone will dislike it because you, and I have made theses comments. Because people are bastards.