Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Air
Label: Virgin Records
Release: 2009
Length: 46:06
Rating: 4/5
“Love 2” is the latest and, for many, long-awaited release from the world-renowned French duo Air, made up for the past fifteen years of electronic enthusiasts Nicolas Godin and Jean Benoit Dunckel. This time the masters of ambient landscapes went for a somewhat more experimental approach compared to its lighter predecessor “Pocket Symphony” (2007), though the basic recipe stays the same. It rests mainly on the extensive use of vast sonic curtains and synth-tinged textures, which they use to slowly build all sorts of moods. These mostly have a soothing, calming effect on any listener willing to surrender to them enough.
In keeping with their adventurous tradition, most of the compositions on the album are packed with a rich mix of musical elements, ranging from electronic music, techno and psychedelic rock to krautrock, which means that this time around too they owe the most to the synthesizer tech of the seventies, led by pioneers like Vangelis and Jean Michael Jarre. Keyboard lovers will easily spot the colorful use of “archaeological finds” like the Korg MS20, Wurlitzer and Vocoder, which Dunckel is anything but stingy with. In places they also weave in elements of jazz again, though without any special emphasis on improvisation.
Despite the album’s pronounced experimental nature, it’s somewhat ironic that it also holds some of their most accessible creations, led by “Sing Sang Sung”. These pop-leaning surprises provide a nice contrast within a varied but sensibly and tastefully played collection of electronic sounds and wide synthetic curtains, against which the occasional guitar outburst mostly plays a supporting role. The most interesting thing about “Love 2” is that the second half of the album is noticeably better than the first. That’s definitely much better than if it were the other way around. All the tracks are completely different from one another and each boasts its own distinct mood, which, in Air’s musical tradition, is what matters most.
“Do The Joy” is a rather odd way to open an album, with scattered synth textures and distorted guitar effects. Because it doesn’t focus enough on building an effective ambience, it ranks among the album’s less interesting moments. “Love,” on the other hand, slowly and successfully builds on layered ambient textures. After a longer buildup, an extremely pleasant melody unfolds, and the clever use of glockenspiel definitely adds to the atmosphere. This is one of those tracks that grows a little with every new listen. “So Light Is Her Footfall”, which was picked as the album’s first single, is the first track that can be said to boast a distinctly lyrical dynamic. Its structure is built on a piano foundation and wide symphonic arrangements, while guitar finesse adds a slight funky touch.
“Be A Bee” is one of the less successful experiments, sounding like something you wouldn’t exactly expect from Air, since it’s more reminiscent of music for a TV documentary or the opening credits of some action series. The central motif is interesting enough, but the composition as a whole lacks a bit of variety. “Missing the Light of the Day” is another interesting track that boasts some totally unique sounds and a colorful use of pentatonic scales. The funk influences are strong again, along with some world music, while the vocal harmonies through the vocoder sound incredibly romantic. This combination is most reminiscent of the early albums of the legendary Brian Eno. Of course, nothing that would send the listener into nirvana, but definitely something worth a listen.
“Tropical Disease”, where jazz elements show up for the first time, is the longest track on the album and also one of the best. Pulling off this kind of composition takes a high level of compositional skill and musical integrity, which means this is where the cult duo’s outstanding creative potential shows best. Creating a track that can excite fans of musical experimentation and a wider audience at once, by relying on the dynamics between individual instruments, the innovative use of the vocoder and the refined layering of synth curtains, is no mean feat. The composition basically sounds like two tracks merged into one. The first part is almost bouncy, but over time it morphs into a hypnotic, ambient collage.
“Heaven’s Light” is, in terms of quality, definitely one of the album’s standouts. It’s probably also its most soothing moment, with wide use of percussion, an advanced development of the ambience (especially in the middle section) and divine vocalizations. This is an example of an excellent ambient track for any occasion. “Night Hunter” is another interesting instrumental piece with a nifty pulse and world music influences. What was decisive for its success was above all the crossing of electronic soundscapes with piano seasoning. The many piano arrangements and the use of the traditional Japanese instrument the koto (or, in plain English, the floor harp) are somewhat reminiscent of the instrumental approach that dominated on the predecessor “Pocket Symphony”. By combining bright ambience with a laid-back tempo, Air bow to their lighter side once again.
The pop bonbon “Sing Sang Sung” is undoubtedly the most accessible track in the band’s story. The convincing contribution of the guest female singer deserves special praise here. A very simple structure, but one that’s highly effective thanks to a catchy chorus and elegant, mostly acoustic-guitar embellishments, makes it one of the most interesting creations on the album. “Eat My Beat” is the shortest piece on the album. This track is a good and very welcome breather within the ambient-instrumental second half of the album. The playful use of the Wurlitzer, mixed with aggressive guitar passages, presents Air in one of their most experimental and also most rock-inspired moments. At the same time, it also offers a pleasant synth melody.
“You Can Tell It To Everybody” is a wonderful moment of total ambient release that can easily rock the listener into a state of pleasant trance. The acoustic-guitar embellishments sit perfectly alongside the soothing vocal and create a mood best suited to a romantic nighttime idyll. The central melody softens any sad or negative feelings and tips the listener into a completely calming space. “African Velvet”, with its many guitar segments, refined bass lines and the use of a horn that adds a bit of jazzy charm, is a fitting close to this special album, one that will surely go down as one of the better achievements of this promising French duo.
“Love 2” is an impressive achievement, but it takes a few more listens to really settle into your ears, since it’s not as instantly accessible as the early albums from the lab of the cult French duo. All those who wanted a somewhat different approach from the French masters of electronic ambient will be richly rewarded in every respect this time, since they haven’t shown this much experimental inspiration in a long time. “Love 2” definitely has a good shot at luring a few new listeners to Air from all over the musical globe.
Lineup
JB Dunckel – synthesizer, piano, glockenspiel, vocals
Nicolas Godin – guitar, bass guitar, koto, drum machine, tambourine, glockenspiel, vocals Joey Waronker – drums, percussion
Production
Air
Track list
1. Do the Joy
2. Love
3. So Light Is Her Footfall
4. Be a Bee
5. Missing the Light of the Day
6. Tropical Disease
7. Heaven’s Light
8. Night Hunter
9. Sing Sang Sung
10. Eat My Beat
11. You Can Tell It to Everybody
12. African Velvet
