One record at a time: 84. JB Dunckel - H+

This is the second solo album by Jean-Benoît Dunckel - who was one half of the duo Air (or is it AIR? I'm never sure). I wasn't really aware of this record when it was released, but it came up as a recommendation on Amazon last year and, as it wasn't too expensive, I purchased it. Any album that features Jean-Benoît's vocals will always be reminiscent of Air, but there is enough to differentiate this album and make it a worthy addition to my collection.

The first two tracks, "Hold On" and "Love Machine" are surprisingly upbeat and catchy songs. "The Garden" is a more wistful mid-tempo track that combines breathy vocals with soaring strings and remains the equal of the first two tracks. "Transhumanity" brings the analogue synths to the fore with a melody that reminds me of "Night Café" by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. 

There's something about these tracks that sounds more care-free and joyful than Air. I remember reading there were often tensions between Jean-Benoît and Nicolas, but I think I assumed this tension drove them to new artistic heights. However, this album would suggest that the tension was not a pre-requisite to the success of the band as Jean-Benoît is clearly capable of producing high quality music on his own.

"Space Age" uses a Korg MS-20 arpeggio that somehow instantly makes you think of outer space as the strings and piano whirl around the speakers. As the second side of the album progresses the tempo slows and remains fixed at "background music for a dinner party" levels. "Show Your Love" even uses a vocoder to obscure the vocal to ensure that nothing will disturb the consumption of your sole meunière. "Ballad Non Sense" uses the chords from "Dance Hall Days" by Wang Chung with a vibraphone wandering around over the top. It's a bit like listening to Mike Oldfield's "Incantations" at the wrong speed. What's more surprising is that it is quite entertaining. This is a worthy album and essential for any fan of Air (or AIR). 4/5