File Under: Electronic
Even after all these years, music can still sneak up on me
When my friend Jason and I opened Sonic Boom Records in Seattle in September 1997, our bread and butter was Northwest indie rock: Sleater-Kinney, Elliott Smith, and eventually Death Cab and Modest Mouse. Some of these bands were our customers, our friends, and they fueled the scene we were gradually becoming part of.
But before long, we noticed certain albums selling just as well—or sometimes even better—by artists far outside the Northwest. Portishead. Buena Vista Social Club. And one that quietly became one of our best sellers of all time: Moon Safari, the 1998 debut from the French duo Air. We filed it in our small but carefully curated “Electronic” section—a choice that felt obvious at the time. But after finally seeing Air live for the first time last weekend—27 years later—I started to question that decision.
Moon Safari looked like an electronic record, with its watercolor-meets-video-game cover art, and it was on Source/Astralwerks, labels known for electronic music. Most of all, the music sounded like it was made entirely on synthesizers. Those warm, analog tones always struck me as a little melancholy—maybe it was just the Seattle winter. Every time we played it in the shop, we sold at least one copy. It was that kind of record: instant atmosphere. I even remember specifically not playing it when we were out of stock, so as not to disappoint our customers.
I liked Air, never loved them. But I stuck with them because our customers did. In 2000 came the darker Virgin Suicides score, followed by albums in 2001, 2004, 2007, 2009, and finally Le voyage dans la lune in 2012. We played Air so much in the shop that I’ve likely heard them more than almost any other band who didn’t occupy a spot in my record collection.
When I moved from Seattle to New York in 2008, I’d still hear Air in hip shops and restaurants, but I never went out of my way to see them—or even stumbled onto them at a festival. Then, this year, my feed started filling up with clips from their Moon Safari anniversary tour. Friends said it was incredible. So when I heard they were closing out the run with three nights at the Brooklyn Paramount, a ten-minute walk from my apartment, I texted my friend Robby. One perk of working in music: it’s often easy to get into shows. We figured we’d catch a few songs and get on with our evening. Ninety minutes into the show, though, we were still watching Air.
Live, Air was a revelation. The two main members were joined by a drummer, and while there were some backing tracks, I was surprised by how much was played live—often as a trio of drums, bass, and synth that sounded loose, human, even a little risky at times. As the set unfolded, it shifted from something closer to Kraftwerk into the territory of ’70s Pink Floyd, moving Air—dare I say it—into the category of a rock band. The production was next-level but never cold: the several-stories-tall Paramount somehow felt intimate, the band performing inside a glowing white lightbox that resembled a futuristic, stylized living room, its colors and textures changing with every song.
After the show, I posted a photo, and a friend commented: “Saw this tour three times—each show was the best I’ve ever seen 😍.”
It’s rare and thrilling to walk into a show with limited expectations and walk out blown away. Even better when it’s an artist you’ve known for decades but never really seen. I listened to a ton of Air the next day, and it turns out we filed their albums correctly back in 1998—but the show was a reminder of how powerful live music can be. It’s nice to know that even after all these years, music can still sneak up on me.
I’m excited to announce our first live episodes of my podcast Identified with the best-selling author and musician Michelle Zauner and the musician Meshell Ndegeocello. It’s Saturday Oct. 25 at 12:30pm in Brooklyn at the amazing Public Records space. Tickets are sold out but we will likely release a few more later this week.
This week’s guest on my Identified podcast is the best-selling author Dani Shapiro. Dani’s 2019 memoir Inheritance is, according to her website: “a book about secrets–secrets within families, kept out of shame or self-protectiveness; secrets we keep from one another in the name of love.” You can see why I was thrilled when she agreed to join me. I also appeared on Dani’s podcast, Family Secrets, last year. Identified is available on YouTube and all major podcast platforms, 100% free and ad free. LISTEN
In a few hours, I’ll join a panel of authors at Storyfest in Westport, CT, to discuss how writers transform personal history into compelling stories. I’ll talk about the human side of the music business at LA’s Jump Global Summit, and finally, I’ll have my first-ever Massachusetts book event at Boston’s Berklee College of Music. Upcoming events are always listed here.
I hope to see you out there somewhere.
—Nabil
My memoir is called My Life in the Sunshine. You can order it here, or listen to the audiobook on Spotify.
I hope to see you somewhere soon. Upcoming events are always listed here, and include October and November stops in New York, Connecticut, Los Angeles, and Boston (first time!).
Nabil Ayers / Brooklyn