Zack: To start, I absolutely loved this album. It was incredible. Part of that is probably an objective analysis of the overall composition of the songs, but the other part is probably that I’m a big fan of Final Fantasy games and it sounded a lot like a soundtrack to one of them. My brother and I ultimately decided it would probably fit more naturally with a Kingdom Hearts game instead, but it still sounds like a Square Enix production. Moon Safari inspires such a reaction because the songs seem to be written for an adventure. Each track has a story to tell. The clearest example of this is my personal favorite song, Talisman. It made me think of a movie or a cutscene in a video game in which the protagonist is charging towards the climactic battle and reflecting on all the trials and tribulations that they have had to conquer to get to that point. But all of that is encapsulated in a song instead. It’s pretty sweet. I also had fun trying to identify in each song what instrument the synthesizers were trying to emulate. In La Femme d’Argent, the synths take the place of a saxophone. In Le Voyage de Penelope, they’re either a trombone or a trumpet, although I have yet to conclusively identify which. I’m leaning towards the former, but I can’t say for sure. Combine those playful synths with some light, mostly acoustic, strings, a touch of harmonica, and the occasional vox work, and each song develops a unique taste that piece together to tell of an epic adventure, possibly across a lunar Serengeti.
Favorite Tracks: Talisman; La Femme d’Argent; Sexy Boy
Emily: One thing I can say for certain about this album is that it was not what I expected. With French electronica, I was thinking crazy drug-fueled club techno. Add in the title Moon Safari, and that’s one crazy drug trip. Surprisingly, and luckily, no artificial influence was necessary to enjoy this album. Air is a couple of chilled-out, synthesizer-loving French dudes, and Moon Safari was a peaceful, enjoyable listen. It’s ambient, but never completely slips into the background due to the band’s dynamic sound that utilizes different tempos, instruments, and vocal styles (with a guest vocalist here and there). My trip through the Moon Safari wasn’t the most exciting musical adventure I’ve taken thus far, but it certainly was a relaxing vacation from the mainstream.
Favorite Tracks: Kelly Watch the Stars; La Femme D’argent; Remember
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