Air is the French electronic duo of Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoît Dunckel, formed in Versailles in 1995. Moon Safari (1998) practically defined late-'90s downtempo and still sounds gorgeous, while The Virgin Suicides soundtrack (2000) and Talkie Walkie (2004) make ideal next steps. Explore Air vinyl, CDs, and reissues at Wax Trax Records.
Air formed in Versailles, France in 1995. The duo of Nicolas Godin (multi-instruments, vocals) and Jean-Benoît Dunckel (keyboards, vocals) met as students and began recording electronic instrumental music in the mid-1990s. They signed with Source Records (a Virgin imprint) and released their debut album Moon Safari in 1998, which became an international success. They later composed the score for Sofia Coppola's The Virgin Suicides (2000) and continued releasing albums on Source/Virgin and later EMI through the 2010s.
Air's sound is grounded in French electronic music, downtempo, and ambient, with strong influences from 1970s analog synthesizer music, library music, soft rock, and lounge. Their arrangements often combine vintage synthesizers, acoustic instruments, and breathy vocals (often featuring guest vocalists including Beth Hirsch).
Original Source/Virgin pressings of Moon Safari are among the most sought-after items in late-1990s electronic music collecting. Multiple anniversary reissues and box sets have been released, including 20th anniversary editions of Moon Safari.
Listeners new to Air typically start with Moon Safari (1998). The Virgin Suicides soundtrack (2000) and Talkie Walkie (2004) are common second entry points.
