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Air
Air at the Eurockéennes 2007
Background information
Origin	France
Genre(s)	Electronica, downtempo, trip hop, pop
Years active	1995–present
Label(s)	Astralwerks
Website	www.intairnet.org
Members
Nicolas Godin Jean-Benoît Dunckel

Air is a French (from region Île-de-France) music duo, consisting of Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoît Dunckel. The name Air is a backronym for Amour, Imagination, Rêve^[1] which translates to Love, Imagination, Dream.

Air's debut EP, Premiers Symptômes, was followed by the critically acclaimed album Moon Safari, the re-release of Premiers Symptômes, The Virgin Suicides (soundtrack), 10 000 Hz Legend, Everybody Hertz, Talkie Walkie and Pocket Symphony.

Their most recent album, Pocket Symphony, was released on March 5, 2007. The album features former Pulp vocalist Jarvis Cocker and Neil Hannon of The Divine Comedy, and is produced by Nigel Godrich. Air went on a European tour in March, followed by a North America tour that included an appearance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

Contents 1 Career 1.1 Genesis of band 1.2 Musical style 1.3 Licensing of tracks 1.4 Other works 2 Discography 2.1 Studio albums 2.2 Other albums 3 Gallery 4 References 5 External links

Nicolas Godin studied architecture at the École Nationale Supérieure d'Architecture de Versailles whereas Jean-Benoît Dunckel studied mathematics before forming a band in 1995. Before founding Air, Dunckel and Godin played together in the band Orange, with others such as Alex Gopher, Xavier Jamaux and Etienne de Crécy. These musicians have subsequently contributed to remixes of tracks recorded by Air.

Air's music is often referred to as electronica; their form of electronic music was influenced by the synthesizer sounds of the 1970s such as Jean Michel Jarre, Vangelis, and Francis Lai. Other influences are psychedelic rock pioneers Pink Floyd; Krautrockers Tangerine Dream; Jean-Jacques Perrey (although there are some echoes of dance music styles in the production); and French crooner Serge Gainsbourg.

Air uses many of their studio instruments (like Moog synthesizers, the Korg MS-20, Wurlitzer and Vocoder) live on stage, where their ability to improvise is more clearly highlighted. The band performs the well-known tracks from the albums live as extended or altered versions. Air often works together, both in the studio and live on stage, with artists like Beth Hirsch (Moon Safari), Françoise Hardy ("Jeanne"), Jean-Jacques Perrey ("Cosmic Bird"), Gordon Tracks ("Playground Love" and "Easy Going Woman" - Gordon Tracks is a pseudonym of the French singer Thomas Mars from Phoenix), Beck (10 000 Hz Legend), on the 2004 tour with Dave Palmer and drummer Earl Harvin and on the 2007 tour with Earl Harvin, Vincent Taurelle and Steve Jones.

Air's atmospheric music has become popular among television producers and ad agencies, who have licensed their work for commercials and television. Among the shows or commercials featuring tracks by AIR:

• "Surfing on a Rocket" is the background music for the Nissan Armada commercial (2004) and was also featured in EA Sports's video game FIFA Soccer 2005.
• "Playground Love" (from Air's score to the film The Virgin Suicides) was used in a Levi's jeans commercial (2002) as well as in multiple broadcasts of This American Life.
• "La Femme d'Argent" is played in the background on Dublin's FM104 Adrian Kennedy phone show, and was also played in the pilot episode of Veronica Mars, on Southern California Public Broadcaster KCET's between-program video montages, and on one of the episodes of Season 1 of The O.C. The song was also used on Australia's 'Things To Try Before You Die'
• The song "Run" was also used in Veronica Mars, in the final scene of episode 7 of season 2 entitled Nobody Puts Baby in a Corner.
• "Alpha Beta Gaga" was used in the Orange network advert (the try commercial) 2004, as well as an ad for Heineken beer.
• "Alpha Beta Gaga" was also used in the CSI:NY season 1 episode entitled Recycling.
• "La Femme D'Argent" was used by L’Oréal for one of its L'Oreal Paris ads.
• "Sexy Boy" was used as a backing track in the TV series Queer as Folk and the movie 10 Things I Hate About You.
• "All I Need" was used as a backing track in the TV series Felicity.
• "Photograph" was featured on the Pilot episode of CWTV's "Gossip Girl" on September 19, 2007.
• "Remember" was used as the ending theme song of the documentary "Startup.com"
• "Talisman" was used in the 1999 film Go.
• "Alone in Kyoto" was recorded for the 2003 film Lost in Translation.

On September 18, 2006, Darkel, a solo album by Jean-Benoît Dunckel, was released.

Air have also recorded a DJ mix album, Late Night Tales: Air, for Azuli Records' Late Night Tales series. The release was initially scheduled for October 2005, but was delayed several times. It finally was released, complete with a new sleeve design, on 11 September 2006.

Air have often collaborated with American film director Sofia Coppola. They composed the music to her debut film The Virgin Suicides. Air drummer and former Redd Kross member Brian Reitzell put together the soundtrack to Lost in Translation including contributions from Air. The soundtrack for Sofia Coppola's latest film Marie Antoinette also features contributions from Air.

Air wrote and played the music of the album 5:55 by French actress and singer Charlotte Gainsbourg, which was released in August 2006. This is of interest as Air listed Charlotte Gainsbourg's father, Serge Gainsbourg, as a major influence.

Title	Release date	Chart positions
Moon Safari	January 16, 1998	#6 UK, #21 France
The Virgin Suicides	February 28, 2000	#14 UK, #17 France, #161 US
10 000 Hz Legend	May 28, 2001	#7 UK, #7 France, #88 US, #23 Italy, #1 Ireland
Talkie Walkie	January 26, 2004	#2 UK, #3 France, #61 US, #3 Italy, #1 Ireland
Pocket Symphony	March 5, 2007	#22 UK, #8 France, #40 US, #16 Italy, #8 Ireland

Title	Release date
Premiers Symptômes	July, 1997 (Re-released August, 1999 UK #12)
Everybody Hertz	February 18, 2002 (UK #67)
City Reading (Tre Storie Western)	March 25, 2003
Late Night Tales: Air	September 11, 2006

Jean-Benoît Dunckel

Nicolas Godin

1. ^ Lesieur, Jennifer: "Air de A à Z". Étudiant, L', 2002

• Official website of the band
• Official website of the 10 000 Hz Legend album
• Air at Astralwerks, the band's current record label
• Australian Official Fan Club
• Air at Discogs
• Air at Last.fm
• Air at MySpace
• A fansite
• A forum
• A discussion board
• A discography
• Air at Rolling Stone

v • d • e Air
Nicolas Godin • Jean-Benoît Dunckel
Studio albums	Moon Safari • The Virgin Suicides • 10 000 Hz Legend • Talkie Walkie • Pocket Symphony
Other albums	Premiers Symptômes • Everybody Hertz • Late Night Tales: Air
Singles	"Sexy Boy" • "Surfing on a Rocket" • "Once Upon a Time" • "Mer du Japon"
Related articles	Discography • Darkel