It's interesting how synthesiser music of the 70s, rather than playing pop melodies of that time, looks further into the past. These songs remind me of some classical compositions rather than pop music. It's interesting that synthesisers that are nowadays mostly associated with commercial pop music, started their appearance through almost classical compositions, very far away from danceable pop scene. You could see this kind of thing in the film Clockwork Orange. The film was about the future, so it made most sense to include synthesiser music that was the purest form of music from the future and it only made perfect sense next to the background story where Alex adores classical music of Ludwig Van Beethoven. I would think this connection between classical music and synthesisers has had a strong influence on the whole genre in the 70s.
This is how I like my synthesisers though. I can't say that I'm much of a fan of most synthpop bands, but I absolutely love 70s electronica played with analog synthesisers. I love the cold and futuristic albums where one song follows another. This kind of music is all about the album, not the single. Although, a couple of singles were also released from this album. I can't see why that was necessary. I love the album as a concept. Half an hour to one hour is a perfect length to listen to on one go and I really like the fact that the theme and sounds of a single album make it something more than the sum of individual songs. This is also connected with the album art that to me makes me remember the albums, songs and artists better than any other visualisation. I love holding vinyl albums such as this with excellent design.
My father used to listen to Jarre's music when I was a kid. I remember listening to this a lot while playing fantasy games with my friends in candle light. It gave those games much better background than any conventional pop music could've given. Then I forgot about this kind of music for a couple of decades, until I discovered the analog synth genre again with bands like Kraftwerk, Tangerine Dream and Isao Tomita. That led me back to Jarre's music and I was really glad that my father had Oxygène on vinyl, which I got from him when he didn't buy a new turntable to replace his broken one.
This album I bought on vinyl in Utrecht in the Netherlands where I was visiting a friend a few years ago. There's something amazing about listening to such futuristic music on vinyl, which in a way is a historical artefact. However, it was the product of the time when this kind of music was made, which makes it more authentic in a way. In my mind, there is a clear distinction between analog synthesisers and digital synthesisers, and also between analog records as opposed to digital music.
It interesting how this kind of synthesiser music sounds very futuristic at the same time as its very historical. It makes me always think about the conception of time and alternative futures. If we believe the sci-fi movies of the 70s and 80s, this is what everyone is listening to in 2020s. Of course this is not the case, but I can still see the futuristic aspects of this music. Jarre may not be the most fashionable artist of today, but I will always have a special place in my heart for his music.
Listen to the album on Spotify.
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