Gallic electro duo Air have spent the best part of a decade managing to keep a relatively low profile while selling enough records to build themselves a state-of-the-art recording studio - a studio they use for the first time here.

1998's "Moon Safari" and 2000's soundtrack to Sofia Coppola's The Virgin Suicides are seminal 'chill-out' records that helped usher in the age of 'dinner party electronica.' This was a tag the duo were obviously uncomfortable with for a time as they subverted expectations with their next two records which moved away from the organic sounds of their more popular albums towards harsher, more experimental terrain. In my view it really worked with Nigel Godrich bringing a vintage pop-charm and subtle air of menace to "Talkie Walkie," easily the bands most accomplished record to date.

On their 6th album "Love 2" however, Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoit Dunckel return to the formula that made their name and the results are mixed to say the least. As with "Moon Safari" the soundscape rarely changes, with soft moog blips and bloops floating gently alongside softly strummed acoustic guitars and ambient synth strings. It's all so measured and calm, at times it's so damn light it threatens to float away. Melodies are nothing but ephemeral wisps which occasionally catch your ear before fading into static and rhythmically session drummer Joey Waronker deploys stringently motorik beats track after track, tapping out a almost dazzling array of minimalist beats which (no matter how different they may actually be) all manage to sound EXACTLY THE SAME!


On the plus side the whole record sounds technically wonderful with the duo obviously comfortable behind the desk. The problem is thought that without an outside producer egging them on (this is their first record without a co-producer) Godin and Dunckel seem to have drifted onto autopilot. Songs such as the risible 'Tropical Disease' surely could have used a little hand-holding and guidance, it's seven minutes of what can only be described as "krautrock" re-written to be played as lift musak. Even worse is the breezy, nonsensical 'Sing Sang Song.' which cements the duos reputations as possibly the most cringe-inducing lyricists today working outside of the xenomania production line.

The thing that gets to me most is the calculated nature of it all, 'Love' was no doubt written for the sole purpose of sound-tracking a mobile phone advert, It was the first thing that came into my mind upon hearing it. Now that's either a damning indictment of the way mass media has infiltrated and/or replaced our own musical ideals or it's just proof that Air are truly running out of creative steam.

Back to the drawing board next time lads.


Tracklisting:-

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