I was surprised to hear both of these albums by Jean Michel Jarre. Showing a very different side of his musical repertoire, they are, each in their own unique way, filled with lovely cascades of melodic riffs, tasteful arrangements of chilled beats, and a glaze of forward-looking sonic experimentation covering a heart of timeless thematic beauty. It could be argued that the overall style is quite easy to spot in the "lounge/chillout" scene, but frankly I find it hard to believe someone could listen to either album and not recognize the classic Jarre sound contained therein.
Since both releases were fairly informal, little publicized affairs, it may be a bit difficult to find them readily available, but it's worth the effort. There may be other Jarre albums that will stand the test of time in a more notable fashion, but taken in their own important context, these are fine works of lasting quality. I give them both a hearty thumbs up.
Since both releases were fairly informal, little publicized affairs, it may be a bit difficult to find them readily available, but it's worth the effort. There may be other Jarre albums that will stand the test of time in a more notable fashion, but taken in their own important context, these are fine works of lasting quality. I give them both a hearty thumbs up.
