Premiers Symptomes

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Customer reviews

review by: ea_solinas date: 2007-03-22 rating:
Symptomes of air
Since "Premiers Symptomes" means "first symptoms," it's appropriate that it's the name of Air's collection of early singles. This French duo created a warm sweep of electronica that sounded like a complete , which is only marred by two funky, rather awkward songs pasted on to the end.

"Modular Mix" kicks it off -- a dreamy song that sounds like the soundtrack for an underwater movie. "Casanova 70" and the languid "Les Professionals" add a lounge-y sound. And "J'Ai Dormi Sous L'Eau" and "Le Soleil Est Près de Moi" are sweet and slow , almost like a pair of trip-hop lullabies.

The rerelease of "Premiers Symptomes" was given a bonus -- two new tracks, "Californie" and "Brakes On." Well, they're a mixed blessing. They're actually very fun songs -- funky, dancey and "Californie" has a stretch of ethereal electronica halfway after about a minute. But they just don't quite mesh with the early work.

"Premiers Symptomes" was compiled of singles released before the hit "Moon Safari," and so it has something of the same dreamy feeling. It's only a half hour long, but it's worth it to get the the romantic blend of ambient, trip-hop, funk and a hint of 60s psychedelic pop -- in a word, sensual chillout music!

Songs like "Modular Mix" have layers upon layers of shimmering keyboard. But "Casanova 70" and "J'ai Dormi Sous L'Eau" favor a more jazzy sound, with synthesized horns behind some twittery synths, while the spacey beats of "Les Professionals" sounds like a rainy morning near an alien city. Beside all these smooth sounds, the brash, bass-heavy extra songs sound harsh to the ear.

"Premiers Symptomes" is a must-have for Air fans (newbies had better start with something else), although the last two tracks aren't quite in sync with the first five. A beautiful experience, smooth and soft and sensual.

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review by: date: 2005-02-26 rating:
Great compilation
This album is a great compilation of the bands first few E.P`s on the Source label. The band have never really managed to better these instrumental tracks- the production is spot on. Moon Safari may have taken them into the pop mainstream, but the pureness of their sound did suffer.

A must buy album for music lovers.

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review by: 'I tagged a couple of cops.' '-no real people?' date: 2004-03-19 rating:
If you don't own 'Moon Safari' do not buy this yet
This album is like an extension of the near-perfect 'Moon Safari'. When you listen to it you recognise aspects from Air's best album. This is not as good, and it is a bit short to be called an album. The calming atmosphere created by the first five tracks is destroyed by the sixth track when playing it right through. 'Modular Mix' is a great opening track and it is Air so its obviously a lot better than most albums out there but I rarely listen to this unless im going through an Air phase.

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review by: joefloggs date: 2004-02-29 rating:
Back To Their Roots
When I first heard this album, I thought it was Air's debut. Clueless as I was, the titles were all French and with just 7 tracks it was easy to be fooled. But I guess if i truely think about it, this Is Air going back to what they feel their music is about. Each song is dinstictly and deceptively gorgeous. Lay in bed before you go to sleep and play this quietly in your ear. No doubt you've heard Les Soilel est Pres De Moi (The sun is close to me) is the standout track, and yes it is! But Les Professionnels offers a little surprise from Moon Safari, a soft remake of "All I Need" which sounds just as good. Most of the Album remains distinctly slow and laid back, and unlike parts of Moon Safari and certainly 10,000Hz Legend, it doesn't feel as 'poppy'. Chillout, and I hate that term, seems outdated and non-original, but Premier Symptomes has this nack of convincing you that it's still alive and it can be this wonderfull experience...


review by: gibbons date: 2004-02-24 rating:
A Correction
The previous reviewer makes a few errors, this was made prior to Moon Safari, it was a combination of previous songs and releases. If anything Zero 7 took their sound from this and Moon Safari, the time difference between releases of debut records was about 4 years, in favour of Air. And most importantly, this album is a purer version of the Air sound. Some of the songs on this mini album are not just breathtaking but absolutely of a time that never existed and you know you are listening to something important. It is hard to make a listener feel like they do when they hear this record. Buy this album if you want a less sugary dose of Moon Safari. It is beautiful. I can't recommend it highly enough.

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