JEAN-MICHEL JARRE

Jean Michel Jarre's breakthrough album is an atmospheric and playful electronic release which proves Jarre to be a stylistically diverse and sometimes compositionally playful synthesiser wizard. The influence of preceding electronic acts (Tangerine Dream in particular) is noticeable and much of the album is in a rather ambient tradition, through it regularly transitions into somewhat more energetic passages which keep the listener's interest engaged and helps with the pacing of the piece. For those who've listened to a lot of electronic material from the era it might not stand out in the absolute top tier, but it's a very credible release from an emergent voice with promises of even better material to come.

Sterile, white, germ free and clinical. No... not St Mary's hospital in London, but a description of this 'Best of - Re-worked' album by Jean Michel Jarre.

On the plus side he appears to have used his trusty old indestructible analogue synths from the 70's, only this time the sound is given a complete overhaul on the engineering and production front. A much beefier result is obtained, where the 'Equinoxe' tracks in particular are brought to the fore.

A compilation like this only highlights the weaknesses of Jarre's later recordings, when compared with the altogether superior 'Oxygene' and 'Equinoxe' which showed depth, atmosphere and space between tracks.

The new 'Aero' tracks (4 of them!) are even more sexless and limp than latter day Tangerine Dream, using some very uninspired drum machines and percussion. Horrendously cheesy saxophone is at the forefront of 'Last Rendez-Vous'. Vangelis' Blade Runner soundtrack proves that electronics and saxophone can work together beautifully if put in the right hands.

Just when things couldn't get much worse 'Zoolookology' slaps you on the face with a wet trout just as you are about to fall asleep. The less said about the remainder the better.

At the end of the recording you'll be left mumbling incoherently to yourself... "What was the point of it all?, Is he really so short of ideas that he has to go back and re-hash all that old material?

Granted, you'll be hard pushed to hear a better produced and clearer electronic recording than this, but at the end of the day it's very forgettable.

Now, if you fancy burning out your TV screen or computer monitor, why not give the accompanying DVD a spin? Dazzling fluorescent white covers every square millimetre of your screen, along with a pair of big eyeballs flicking left and right from beginning to end. That's all you get for over an hour. DO NOT WATCH IN THE DARK! You will go blind! In fact, if you can manouevre your screen to your window and point it towards Mars you'll probably find that the 'Curiosity Rover' can pick up the light signal. You can virtually see your screen melt with the strain as capacitors and resistors go into shutdown mode.

Away from my sniping moans, Aero's not that bad and sounds ok whilst driving or cycling and for this reason only it gets 2 stars.

'Oxygene' - Jean-Michel Jarre (6/10)

Along with The Beatles' "Sgt. Peppers..." and Genesis' "Invisible Touch", one of the earliest albums I can remember being exposed to was Jean-Michel Jarre's "Oxygene II". Described to me as 'space music', I find that label resonating even more with his music than I did years and years ago. Naturally, hearing the first part of this musical journey was an essential quest for me; it would give my earliest experience with electronic music some much-needed context. "Oxygene" is widely considered to be a classic of its style, a blend of synth melodies and rhythmic sequencers innovated and popularized by Klaus Schulze and Tangerine Dream not long before Jarre jumped on the wagon. While I found "Oxygene II" to be a well-composed, exciting adventure, something about its older brother has left an emptiness in me. Some of Jarre's musical ideas here are indeed excellent, but there is not enough consistency here to make it feel like the masterpiece it's claimed to be.

Jean-Michel Jarre's approach to electronic music feels like a streamlined Klaus Schulze. Normally, making things more concise in progressive music is a definite no-no, but it works here. Schulze's explorations of space generally involve a chunky investment of time before getting to the 'payoff', whereas Jarre attempts to achieve that atmosphere in less time. In some of his work, he certainly accomplishes that, and even on this album's opening suite (comprising the first two tracks), his talent for composition is clear. The music is almost permanently chilled, often mysterious and brooding.

"Oxygene" experiences a few moments of pure awe, usually when the compositions undergo some sort of sonic shift and climax. Even if its simply a texture that isn't heard anywhere else on the album, Jarre is a master of creating moments of brilliance. This is unfortunately not something that spans throughout the entire album. In fact, much of the album feels like blank space between payoffs. Although the sequencers are textured well, there is little variety to the core sound of "Oxygene". Although it would have been state-of-the- art for its time, the compositions of "Oxygene" often feel as if they're unsure whether to pursue atmosphere or melody. "Oxygene II" was an incredible way for me to be introduced to electronic music, but I do not feel the same connection towards the first.

"Oxygen" is one of France's most famous albums, and a masterpiece of electronic music. Recorded in private studio of Jean Michel Jarre in Paris, using an 8-tracks, "Oxygen" is the most direct example of how an artist with the use of analog and digital synthesizers can simulate an orchestra. Electronics, to be understood. Listening to "Oxygene" we are thrilled by the powerful magic that music releases. It is as if our mind fly free in space, landed, then, in a planet full of flowers and trees, clean and magic. In the distance a castle, protected by a magical shield. However, the looming threat of an invasion from space. The war will bring us back into space.

But it will be defeated by good.Musically, "Oxygen" is a long suites in 6 parts that no other steps that sweet music, highly evocative (even technical, if we look good) but too full of magical atmosphere. There is no attempt to use synthesizers to find new sounds but the synths are here to seek new horizons in music, as if you would like to continue a conversation begun by Mozart or Beethoven.

The only problem with "Oxygen" is to have been composed, recorded and released in 1976, the year zero of Punk. Because "Oxygene" was, is and will always be a masterpiece. Not only of the Prog.

3½ stars really. Jean Michel Jarre dedicated this compilation to his dear friend and record company leader Richard Dreyfus who died in 2010. CD one ("Essentials - new HD mastering from restored original tapes") contains tracks from each album, and doesn't much differ from numerous other Jarre compilations. The opener is the delicious 'Souvenir Of China'. Debut Oxygene gets more space than others, three tracks (Parts 2 - the biggest hit? -, 4 and 6). The order is not chronological; otherwise it probably would nastily show how his music became worse as it went more techno-poppish, at least in my opinion. Albums like Zoolook and Waiting For Cousteau are not up to the level of his first albums, nor are the chosen tracks here. But a decent compilation nevertheless. It ends with a fine 8- minute 'Space of Freedom' which was one of the few new tracks for me.

The bigger interest, especially for an advanced Jarre listener, lies in the second CD: "Rarities - Pre-Oxygene early works; 16 unreleased & rare tracks". Considering that Oxygene was released in 1976 and Jarre began making music of his own already in the late sixties, this is a very intriguing hidden field to reveal in this width. And we're talking about real rarities. Some of them have been released on very obscure occasions and the most of them never before.

The first notion is how experimental young Jarre was. 'Happiness Is A Sad Song' (1968) is actually Musique Concrete and pretty listenable at that. There's an instrumentation info to each track which also helps to form a deep picture of his evolution. He was a French equivalent to what was happening in Germany's so called Berlin School (Klaus Schulze, Tangerine Dream, Agitation Free, etc), studying the possibilities of the latest electronic technology. Compared to e.g. Klaus Schulze, Jarre was more interested in melody. The tracks remain shortish, so they're relatively accessible. The portion of melody would naturally become much bigger in his albums. In these recordings (where he uses for example VCS3 and Farfisa) he interestingly sounds closer to Krautrock than later on. Solo works of Edgar Froese could be a good comparison. You can only wonder why his debut didn't appear years earlier.

The curiosity value of this set is obviously very big if you're into Jarre and Electronic Music. I'm not even a fan (I'm much more fond of Tangerine Dream from the Virgin era onwards, Klaus Schulze and Vangelis, than Jarre), so I was happily surprised how bid deal of this CD was not only listenable but even quite good. Thanks to this set, I decided to listen to more of his albums. And yes, Oxygene and Equinoxe - parts of which I had heard in various compilations - were better than I had thought.

This live album is documenting the first ever gig by a western artist in China. Jean Michel Jarre is not exactly a rebellious artist with a hatred towards authorities. So he was a safe artist for the paranoid regime in China.

It is obvious China also coloured Jean Michel Jarre when playing this gig. The material here has a distinct Chinese classical music feel. A scene sadly neglected by us here in the west. This album very much brought this scene to our attention and that is the most important mission this album has in my view.

The music on this album is great and the mix, with various tidbits, really capture this experience almost perfectly. The best stuff here is the Chinese music which Jarre makes into his own like any great musician always does. Fishing Junks at Sunset is a great song too and so is the Magnetic Fields stuff. The final track Souvenir de Chine is the best track here though.

I would say this is Jean Michel Jarre's crowning moment and his best ever release. It is that good and it is highly recommended.

4 stars

This is a review of the original version, 41 minutes.

I still remember the gig, broadcasted on TV in Norway on a time delayed basis. I bought the cassette the day after (and later the CD a couple of years later). I was caught up in the emotions. I was not alone in being caught up in these emotions. The TV broadcast was jaw dropping impressive. It is safe to say that Jarre knows how to make a big splash with his laser shows and music.

On an album..... well, it is still a big splash. Yes, what Jarre does on album and on stage is cheesy as heck. But I do like cheese now and then. The music here is pretty emotional when it takes on the difficult bit of remembering an astronaut which was meant to take part in this live event. He unfortunate perished in the Challenger disaster. A very poignant piece of music and not cheesy at all. The grandiouse pieces here like the closing number Rendez-Vous IV are cheesy though.

This is still a very good live album though despite of the 25 years who has passed since this album was recorded. It also serves as a memento mori from a great gig which I don't many of us who watched it will forget in a hurry. I am glad I dusted of this album and gave it some spins.

3.5 stars

A relaxing journey into the cosmic universe.

I always loved this album and it was the only vinyl Jean Michel Jarre album I purchased in my teen years. I think I was drawn to it primariily when the Part 2 music was used so well for Australian film 'Gallipolli'. The laser boly effects and powerful melody is unforgettable, I played this part over and over along with Part 4. I also remember that Part 4 music was used for various sports themes on TV, especially boating shows or sailing footage. It works very well as a background to these images.

It takes a while to really take off and I find myself a little disconcerted with the opening section but once we get to part 2 it is an incredible soundscape. The spacey textures generated by Moog synthesizer, mellophonium, and Mellotron are phenomenal. I had never heard anything like it. The final part is way darker than I was used ot and it haunted me all those years ago.

I was also drawn in by the compelling cover image of a world half eaten away revealing the rotting skull beneath. This music had an indelible impact on me as I was into Gary Numan and Kraftwerk at the time among other electronic artists. It is a pleasure to revisit this music and it is ultimately a relaxing pleasant voyage into spacey consciousness. It is undoubtedly a masterpiece that put the name of Jean Michel Jarre into the public sphere and nothing else he did came close to this perfection.

A second attempt to catch lightning in a Jarre (Sorry, I've been waiting for ages to use that!). Unfortunately it doesn't quite come off. A direct continuation of 'Oxygene', 'Equinoxe' is a lot more melodic, which may be part of it's downfall. At times he seems to be hamming it up - like at a kid's Pantomime. All that's missing is the ice- cream. jelly and bouncy castle.

Undoubtedly 'Equinoxe' has far more elaborate and fancy sequencers at play than 'Oxygene' ever had. And there's one thing for sure - there's no mistaking the sound... You'd recognise the style a mile away. Only Jean Michel Jarre could create a record like this. Much more futuristic than Tangerine Dream who were on a slippery slope in 1978, and also ahead of Kraftwerk's robot-like repetitiveness with 'Mensch Maschine',

The best way to approach this is to forget the horrible mainstream cascade of albums that followed and just to think of 'Oxygene'. Mind you that accordion sound is pretty crap... Where the hell did that come from?

I'm at a loss - it just contains that indefinable 'X' factor that works. Maybe just too syrupy and nice to be taken too seriously.

As a casual listener of JMJ I found Oxygene at my library. I alredy know Rendezvouz and Equinoxe and I like them. With Oxygene. this is a bit different as it have its ups and downs. The sound is really outdated at places and this means that the wow-factor of the album is gone. It has nice soundscapes in the most parts though. I only find part 5 very interesting, but 1 and 4 has its moments. 2½ stars rounding to 3.

Pt 1: Nice soundscape but the 'Theremin' is annoying at places - reminds me of sawblade playing ... Pt 2: Overlong weak melody but a good soundscape Pt 3: Old sounds - Commodore 64 meets 'Lost in space' ! worst track. Pt.4: I remember this piece often played in radio at the times, popular but moody, I like it. pt 5: This is the most interesting part. A slow and quiet Bach'esque start evolving to a hypnotic ostinate with a repetetive Ravel'esque bolero. The most 'prog' part of the album IMO. I really like this part. Reminds me of Tangerine Dream Pt 6: Again the sound is outdated and this steals attention of the relative weak melody in spite of a nice soundscape - seagulls and waves.