Premiers Symptomes

Tiny Home Central Review

AIR Premiers Symptomes (Source)

"Premiers Symptomes" is a reissue of what was originally an import-only mini-album collating a smattering of the French duo's pre-"Moon Safari" output. Its official release sees the five tracks augmented by two additional ones, "Californie" and "Brakes On", but still doesn't take the length of the album anywhere near the 40-minute barrier.

The music contained on "Premiers Symptomes" is thankfully much more organic and less (if at all) blatantly radio-friendly than their corrupted debut album proper, but unfortunately that fails to make it any more interesting, most of the album suffering from rambling self-indulgence, suggesting that what they really need is a stern producer/remixer to reign in their loops of excess. What's all the more galling, especially in the light of the album's lightweight running time, is that further obscure gems, such as Beck's fantastic remix of "Sexy Boy" or D Whitaker's string-smothered version of "Remember" weren't given a wider airing here.

There are moments of goodness on "Premiers Symptomes", though. The Archetypal Air Tune - hear Etienne De Crecy's remix of "Solidissimo (Super Sale)" on his "Super Discount" project, or "All I Need" on "Moon Safari", for further details - crops up yet again on "Les Professionnels", and "Le Soleil Est Pres De Moi" is unarguably lovely. But as an album is adds up to rather less than we might have dared expect, being thin, undernourished and lacking in substance.