Air: "Moon Safari" (Virgin)
This year's Daft Punk? Both duos may be French, but the comparisons between the Daft double-act and Air's Nicolas Godin and Jean Benoit Dunckel end right there. Air prefer to walk on the mild side, gently introducing you to their sultry collection of mellow tracks which slink, slide and glide your way with chi-chi abandon; virtual soundtracks where spacey vibes and laidback shrills do all the talking there needs to be done. Moon Safari is lush Parisian bliss, an album for alien loungers and slackers sipping cocktails as the spaceship passes over Saint Tropez for the third time. Chugging Northern Soul, stir-fried funk, drowsy strung-out jazz, chic bossa-nova pop: Air use many sophisticated ingredients to caress and tickle your ears. Cooler than an icebox at the North Pole.
By Jim Carroll
The Propellerheads: "Decksanddrumsandrock and roll" (Wall Of Sound)
This year's Chemical Brothers? Certainly they share the big-beat dons' panache for deconstructed hip-hop beats and an AC/DC lust for life. But while the Chemicals have progressed to pimping experimental loops and beats, the Propellerheads are still enthralled by the thrills and spills of entertaining the dancefloor massive. Shirley Bassey collaborations aside (she's onboard for the saucy big-band swing of History Repeating), The Propellerheads prefer to slamdunk with maximum revs and bungee-like elasticity rather than spend their time creating subtle or erudite traces. Take California and Winning Style are master-strokes, complete with spicy grooves and brisk rubs of the funk, while Bigger and Spybreak are enthralling examples of trip-hop with a very individual twist in the fabric.
By Jim Carroll
Common: "One Day It'll All Make Sense" (Relativity)
Aside from the fact that it's actually a late-1997 release, Common's memorable third album has proven to be something of a sleeper; many (including this writer) have only discovered its intricate wonders at year's end. Inspired by the birth of his child, Common's talent lies not just in a gift for supremely jointed rhymes but an ability to wrap contentious issues like abortion within the parameters of a rap track. With a heavyweight gang of co-stars (Fugee Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu, De La Soul and Q-Tip) on hand, Common peppers each track with candour, humour and the self-confident assertion that he's bang on the money with both theme and beats. Both Retrospect For Life and Introspective are indicative of this, spinning deep, warm and thoughtful lines. If you haven't done so already, get with the Common programme right away.
By Jim Carroll
