Air

Having scored Sofia Coppola's The Virgin Suicides, and with several of their songs used in other films, Air are no strangers to the soundtrack world. Le Voyage Dans La Lune (A Trip To The Moon, in English) was composed as a score to the digital reissue of the silent masterpiece of the same name by French cinema pioneer Georges Méliès. Filmed in 1902, it was one of the earliest movies ever made and one of the very first to involve special effects. Another French pioneer heavily inspired Méliès' film: proto-sci-fi writer Jules Verne, as well as English author H.G. Wells. The drums and guitar are sometimes reminiscent of Portishead, although far more prog-y, and the deep, funky bass work brings to mind Serge Gainsbourg, who has always played a big influence on Air's music. Vocal and lyrial assistance is provided by Au Revior Simone and "Seven Stars" features Victoria Legrand (Beach House). Suitably cinematic, percussion-heavy and mostly instrumental, it's enjoyable as a standalone album, but it will be interesting to see how it works alongside the film.