Jarre was inspired to revisit "Oxygene" in 1997 by Mike Oldfield's "Tubular Bells II". Just like Oldfield, Jarre went back for a third bite of the cherry and ended up creating an album that was so far removed from the original it doesn't live up to its name.
Unlike its predecessors, this album isn't driven by melodies or themes; it is largely based on a series of grooves. In itself this approach isn't a bad idea, but the title of the album sets a different expectation that the record can never fulfil.
Opening track "Part 14" is a good piece of electronic music, but doesn't really catch the ear in any meaningful way. The iconic Eminent Strings introduce "Part 15" but even the resurrected Korg Mini Pops 7 sounds a bit flat and lifeless. "Part 16" is more of the same with a sequenced bassline and a four-on-the-floor kick drum, but there's not much else here in terms of ideas.
My favourite piece is "Part 17" as it is the first time we hear a lead line and a tune. "Part 18" has a dreamlike quality but isn't given enough time to expand and breathe. So many tracks on this album are overly long and it seems a real shame that an interesting idea isn't afforded the same space. "Part 19" is a bit like a trance song without a rhythm track and doesn't really hit the mark. The finale is "Part 20" which tries to be epic with its building chord progression and eight minute runtime, but in truth the time would have been better spent on "Part 18". As an album of electronic music, this is a good effort, but ultimately it can't live up to its name. 2.5/5
