Air-y and pretty

Air is one of those downtempo electronica bands who specialize in exquisitely pretty music. And two of their most beloved albums are their debut "Moon Safari," and the musical score for Sofia Coppola's debut "The Virgin Suicides," compiled together in a boxed set.



Their debut "Moon Safari" is the stuff of electronic legend -- pretty, fragile and airy, but with pop sensibilities and jazzy rhythms woven in. Listening to it is a bit like floating on a cloud. They include a few dancey fun numbers like "Sexy Boy," but Air seems to be solidly sitting in the clouds with their soothing, soft music.



"Virgin Suicides" was apparently crafted specifically for the movie, at the director's request. Like the film, it's incredibly pretty and haunting, yet has dark undertones that give the whole thing a brooding sound. A couple songs like "Clouds Up" sound trippy, but the rest of it sounds tragic and ethereal. In other words, perfect for the movie.



If you had to put together two albums from Air's discography, then probably these two are the best choices -- "Moon Safari" is what people think of when they think of Air, and "Virgin Suicides" is similar, but just different enough to be intriguing and engaging.



Their styles are actually quite different -- what the two albums have in common is ethereality, and the space-pop edges and ambient prettiness. "Moon Safari" is sexier and spacier, with a jazzy twist in some of its songs. It's not exactly spacey, but it feels like an extended trip up into the clouds.



On the other hand, "Suicides" veers closer to the ambient pop edge, with the occasional slow edge of dark keyboard. Adding to the otherworldly sound is soft female harmonies rising over it all, as if the girls of the title are singing on their way to the hereafter. Not a single song could be called dancey or even midtempo.



The two-pack of "Moon Safari" and "The Virgin Suicides" is a great place to start with this band, and two of their best full-length albums. Airy, trippy and ethereal.