Evidently unafraid to consistently reinvent themselves, the French band Air release their new record, Talkie Walkie, which is a somewhat of a return back to the sound of their first two records, Premiers Symptomes and Moon Safari. Yet at the same time, this new album is a wholly different beast altogether. Gone, for the most part (excepting the track "Another Day"), are the '70s prog-rock stylings of their score for the film The Virgin Suicides and their second proper long-player, 10,000 Hz Legend. Talkie Walkie is a very light, airy pop record seemingly made for walking along the beach, strolling down a tree-lined cobblestone road, or sitting in an outdoor café drinking strong black coffee.
While Moon Safari had leanings toward trip hop, which was at that time the style du jour, Talkie Walkie is stylistically closer to IDM (although neither trip hop nor IDM are adequate descriptions for the music of Air). It’s almost as if the band decided to self-consciously create music that is difficult to classify. Air have an undeniable, almost classical knack for melody, a talent that is clearly demonstrated by all of their releases. Their obvious influence, however, is 1960s French pop. Fans of Broadcast, Serge Gainsbourg, and even Combustible Edison will enjoy Talkie Walkie. However, with their new album, there is a haunting, almost eerie undertone that was merely hinted at on their previous releases; most notably the score for The Virgin Suicides.
One of the more interesting things about Air is that they have the ability to fashion their music after a given stylistic period without sounding even remotely anachronistic. For instance, the flute on "Cherry Blossom Girl" sounds distinctively '60s, yet the song itself could almost be a contemporary reworking or cover of a '60s song. The use of other period instruments, such as the vibraphone, moog, Theremin, and even harpsichord, promotes an atmosphere of authenticity in Air’s sound. Further, the varied instrumentation on this record gives the listener something different to experience during each listen. More importantly, Air have evolved, so to speak, musically. Both Moon Safari and Talkie Walkie have a distinctively "Air" sound, yet the two albums sound completely different, as if Talkie Walkie were a logical progression from Moon Safari.
One track "Mike Mills" is a dramatic, piano- and guitar-driven track that is rainy, Sunday afternoon listening, as is the cinematic "Alone in Kyoto." "Surfing on a Rocket" has a propulsive electro tempo, with some muted '80s guitar. "Alpha Beta Gaga" and "Biological" have some of the most inventive use of a banjo ever committed to tape. "Run" sounds like it could be in a science fiction film circa 1963 (much like fellow French compatriots Mellow’s score to the Roman Coppola film CQ). The moog and Theremin-like sounds add to the ambience of this track. In short, Talkie Walkie is an intriguing album that grows both more complex and more likeable with each listen.
1. Venus
2. Cherry Blossom Girl
3. Run
4. Universal Traveler
5. Mike Mills
6. Surfing on a Rocket
7. Another Day
8. Alpha Beta Gaga
9. Biological
10. Alone in Kyoto