In 1998, an unlikely locale, France, became a hot spot for new and exciting DJ-oriented projects. Unlike Dimitri From Paris and Daft Punk, who play on kitsch and whimsy, Nicolas Goldin and Jean Benoit Dunckel bring a bit more musical savvy to create music that is deliberately light but not frivolous. The infectious, driving bass of "Sexy Boy" is reminiscent of
Station to Station-era Bowie, while "La Femme D'Argent" recalls Eno's
Taking Tiger Mountain. Two of Air's best tracks -- "All I Need" and "You Make It Easy" -- feature the lean, affecting vocals of
Beth Hirsch. For the most part, the music on
Moon Safari glides into and out of the forefront with beguiling ease; if funk can actually be insinuating, then cite this as the example.
