Throughout their impressive 5-year career, Air have openly embraced new challenges, continually driving themselves to explore the boundaries of their skills as composers. At the end of 2001, following a sold out tour of the U.S., their first ever broadcast TV appearance and the darkly fascinating new album “10,000 Hz. Legend”, Air (JB Dunckel and Nicolas Godin), began to consider their next musical adventure.

Having produced 2000’s acclaimed score for Sofia Coppola’s debut movie “The Virgin Suicides, the band earned the reputation as a modern day Pink Floyd (or as some called them “Punk Floyd”), able to capture the imagination of music lovers of all persuasions, and destined to catch the attention of key figures in the world of film and literature.

44-year old Alessandro Baricco is Italy’s most famous contemporary writer, known for his unusual characterizations and lyrical, poetic style. He has written three internationally acclaimed novels, “Silk” (1998), “Ocean Sea” (2000), and most recently “City”, the work that this recording is based on. Baricco happened to see Air in concert in Rome during the 10,000 Hz. Legend tour and became an instant admirer. Eager to collaborate, he contacted Air in summer 2002 with the idea to marry narration of his text with original musical accompaniment. The performance premiered last November in Rome’s Teatro Valle with such artistic success that both decided to make a record out of it and the result is “City Reading”.

Air recorded more than one hour of music mixed by Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich, over which Baricco delivers evocative, sexually charged passages from “City” in his native Italian. The result is a deep voyage into imaginary Western stories, underpinned by Air’s unique musical know how, exploring both sentimental and cinematic moods. The album is divided into three themes, which in turn are made up of smaller musical passages. Sometimes recalling the pastoral loveliness of "Moon Safari" and the dark brilliance of "The Virgin Suicides", "City Reading" is an ambitious and complex musical experience, which requires an understanding of the story to truly be appreciated. In order to better contextualize the music for the listener, we have included English translations here on the site and also in the liner notes of the CD itself.

The English edition of Baricco's novel "City" will be available in paperback through Knopf in June.

Air are currently recording their next studio album for release in early 2004.

City Reading : Tracklisting
(click the highlighted tracks to preview)

BIRD
1. Bird

LA PUTTANA DI CLOSINGTOWN (The Whore of Closingtown)
2. Prologo per la puttana di closingtown.
3. Se vuoi capire la loro storia.
4. Pat Cobhan ride.
5. Fanny scivola con le labbra.
6. Pat Cobhan alza gli occhi.
7. Young.
8. 'Affanculo.
9. Quell'uomo bara, dice.
10. Finale.

CACCIA ALL'UOMO (Manhunt)
11. Prologo.
12. Il primo giorno.
13. Il secondo giorno.
14. Il terzo giorno.
15. L'urlo.
16. Mondo sparito.
17. Il quarto giorno.
18. Macchie di sangue.
19. Musica.