[andrew markworthy]

Arrived in the mail this morning - a new Jean-Michel Jarre album. It's basically a re-recording of his 'greatest hits' (though the selection may not be to everyone's taste, I suspect). The novelty is that you get a CD version in stereo and in the same package a DVD which offers a 5.1 or a DTS 5.1. There's also a video to accompany the music, which is simply a close-up picture of a woman's eyes (strange I think is the best way of describing it).

The re-recordings aren't totally faithful to the originals, but are close enough, I guess. The 5.1 mix makes good use of all of the speakers and is pretty enjoyable, though not particularly dynamic in its range.

If you like J-M J's music, probably worthwhile looking out for this album, and likewise if you want a cheap way of comparing the merits of CD and stereo with DVD and surround on the same pieces of music.

[Mike_G]

WOOT! Ordered.

Mike

[Andrew Chong]

I have loved Jean-Michel Jarre’s work ever since I was little in England. My dad had a 45 RPM single of his ‘Oxygene IV’ and I used to play it repeatedly. I still have that record as well as his records of Equinoxe and Rendez-Vous. Everything else of his I have on CD. His concert performances are truly spectacular too.

In spite of the language barriers, it’s great how he is able to work with many different cultures and styles of music, notably Chinese (‘Fishing Junks at Sunset’ from Concerts de Chine), Caribbean (‘Calypso’ from Attendant en Cousteau), and Arabic (I think) (‘Revolutions, Revolutions’ from Revolutions).

Seeing Aero mentioned on another Website, I quickly checked for it on the Web-shops I frequent and luckily found it. Unfortunately, it has to be special ordered and requires about a month’s wait for delivery. I’m looking forward to its arrival. Hopefully, this release is a sign of things to come surround-sound-wise, most obviously DVD-Audio (fingers crossed).

[Alan_Horner]

Unfortunately, it has to be special ordered and requires about a month’s wait for delivery. I’m looking forward to its arrival.

I ordered mine from the U.K. Amazon site and it should arrive here in the U.S. in a few days -- not a month (I've never had anything but the best service from that site, knock wood).

Hopefully, this release is a sign of things to come surround-sound-wise, most obviously DVD-Audio (fingers crossed).

Well, hope springs eternal. But I don't believe that Aero has any hi-rez DVD-Audio tracks. I only discovered this after Amazon had started to prepare the order and I was unable to cancel it. It's disappointing, but I still love Jarre's music, so I'm sure I'll get over it.

[Andrew Chong]

Yes, I don't think Aero contains hi-rez tracks either, though it does have 5.1 dolby digital or dts.

This to me is the first step on the road to a high-rez release maybe? .

[Alan_Horner]

Well, how ironic -- Aero showed up in my mail box today. Four days from England to California. Amazing.

If you don't like "active" surround sound mixes, you will absolutely hate (with a capital H) Aero. I've already listened to the recording in DTS 5.1, and it is very definitely a multi-channel recorded. Jarre has "re-imagined" his past music for today and aggressively utilizes all of the speakers available in this 5.1 mix. On the DVD disc, the music is presented as one long piece; chapter stops let you jump in to particular songs. To my ears, the DTS version sounds "warmer" than the Dolby Digital; yet, the Dolby Digital seems to have more bass response. It's up to individual tastes, but I'm opting for the DTS version. Jarre has included interstitial soundscapes between some of the tracks -- but again, this is mixed as one entire 75-minute piece. And because the DVD visuals are in the PAL format, I'm not able to really watch them. But I wasn't sure if this title was going to be released in the U.S., so it's not a problem as far as I'm concerned.

Aero [DVD tracks]

01 Aero Opening
02 Scene 1
03 Oxygene 2
04 Scene 2
05 Aero
06 Equinoxe 8
07 Oxygene 4
08 Scene 3
09 Souvenir of China
10 Scene 4
11 Aerology
12 Scene 5
13 Equinoxe 3
14 Scene 6
15 Equinoxe 4
16 Scene 7
17 Last Rendez-vous
18 Scene 8
19 Zoolookology
20 Scene 9
21 Aerozone
22 Scene 10
23 Magnetic Fields 1
24 Scene 11
25 Chronology 6
26 "Bonus Track": Rendez-vous 4 (Live Version)

This is a two-disc set housed in a modified CD case with a modified spindle that allows two discs, one above the other. Ugh. The second disc is the CD "super-stereo" version, which Jarre says he mixed after Aero was designed for 5.1. It follows the same track listing as the 5.1 mix, but with the interstitial "scenes" mixed into the songs themselves (you can't skip over them).

BTW -- I'm really liking loving this disc. Given the breadth that 5.1 offers, the music is much more energetic than the original recordings. I don't think he's diverged too far from the first versions; this is just a 2004 update.

[LanceJ]

Could y'all explain what you mean when you say this disc has no hi-res tracks?

[Andrew Chong]

I'm probably the source of the confusion, for that I apologize.

Aero includes both a CD and a DVD in one package. Here are the sound options:

• Audio DVD (Dolby Digital 5.1 & DTS 5.1; PCM Stereo)
• CD Audio (PCM Stereo)

more info
check out these eyes

[Alan_Horner]

Could y'all explain what you mean when you say this disc has no hi-res tracks?

Aero was originally announced as offering DVD-Audio hi-rez multi-channel information. The final release sees only standard CD and (on the second disc) Dolby Digital or DTS 5.1 tracks -- they sound great, but they can't match the quality that would have resulted from DVD-Audio (or Super Audio Compact Discs, if they'd gone the route of the competing format.) Even so, I really recommend this for those of you who like very strong multi-channel mixes. At one point, Jarre pans a sound effect from the Left Rear to the Center to the Right Rear (skipping the front Left and Right). Great fun.

I see the Jarre site is listing a November 9th U.S. release for Aero. That was good news until I saw that Rhino Records picked up the title -- and they are one of the worst companies when it comes to delays.

[LanceJ]

Thanks guys.