Editor Reviews:

Album Description:
Darkel is the alter-ego and debut solo album by JB Dunckel, one half of the internationally acclaimed Parisian electronic duo AIR. These ten songs showcase the rich musicality that JB has demonstrated throughout his illustrious career, magically connecting the dots between pop, electronic and dub. Features the single "At The End Of The Sky".

Amazon.com:
What happens when you take half the French electro-pop band Air? Pretty much half the music. Darkel is the alter-ego of Jean-Benoit Dunckel, who along with Nicholas Godin makes up Air. Even without Godin, Dunckel makes a sound familiar to Air surfers, with lots of analog synthesizers, icy strings, and fuzzy Moog bass lines. You also get a lot more vocals and a lot less of the perfumed atmosphere that makes Air so attractive, even in the midst of their most banal songs. As a singer, Dunckel sounds like he's listened to a bit too much Kraftwerk, with his French-accented English; breathy, reed-thin tone; and a vicious lisp. The difference is Kraftwerk only used lyrics as a hook in their otherwise mechanistic electronic trance. Dunckel, however, is trying to write real pop songs in the vein of Soft Cell and Depeche Mode. His electro-themes are embellished by a bit of punk aggression on "TV Destroy," and a distinct whiff of '60s psychedelic pop emerges on the "Lady Madonna" piano vamp of "My Own Sun." Air's lyrics have never been profound, but they are usually lifted by seductive melodies and singers like Beth Hirsh, or extensive processing on their own voices. Hopefully, a remix album sans vocals is around the corner. Darkel/Dunckel leaves us a glimpse of what that might sound like with the album's intoxicating instrumental closer, "Bathroom Spirit." The oblique title fronts an ethereal track mixing Muzak kitsch with spacey ambiences. There's little doubt that without the Air pedigree, Darkel would remain in the dark. --John Diliberto

Rating : - The TRUE follow-up of 'Talkie Walkie'!
Amazon's editorial review's can be so shortsighted. The reviewer clearly hasn't heard all the music of 2006, otherwise he'd know that 'Darkel' is a musical miracle compared to other formulaic albums so common today.

These songs have bad vocals, I admit, but that has always been apart of Air's charm. Besides, it enhances their uniqueness NOT to detriment of the music, at least in my opinion. No, it has always been the MELODIES that have made Dunckel's work so good. And this album DOES NOT disappoint!

'Be My Friend': A continuation of the Talkie Walkie sound. Hooray! Rather underwhelming, though.

'At the End of the Sky': A WONDERFUL song! Very upbeat catchy, and comforting.

'TV Destroy': A gloriously goofy epic pop song in the vein of 'Radio #1' or 'People In the City' from 10000 Hertz Legend!

'Some Men': A beautiful, BEAUTIFUL piano lullaby. Rather similar to 'Photograph' from 'Pocket Symphony'.

'My Own Sun': A pleasing retro pop song, although the melody does barrow a LOT from The Kink's 'A Well Respected Man', so loss of points there. Still, VERY welcome to my ears.

'Pearl': Another pretty song, actually reminds me of something from Lennon's 'Double Fantasy' album.

'Earth': Very 80's sounding, which is ok with me. Very atmospheric too. This is the weak track here.

'Beautiful Woman': The fourth GREAT song on this album. Another 80's sounding pop classic. Very catchy and upbeat. I love it.

'How Brave You Are': A piano classic in the tradition of 'Venus' from Talkie Walkie, and bit of a precursor to 'Once Upon a Time' from Pocket Symphony.

'Bathroom Spirit': I don't know what it is about these people and bathrooms? Lol, anyway, this reminds me of the music from The Virgin Suicides, their greatest work, so I'm extremely happy with this.

In conclusion, BUY THIS ALBUM! Especially if only for 'At The End Of The Sky', 'Some Men', and 'Beautiful Woman'. It is the true successor to the fabulous Talkie Walkie, rather than the disappointing Pocket Symphony that would follow in '07.