Pocket Symphony is a return to the darker, gentler side of the spacey French duo Air's other-worldy sound last heard on 2000's Virgin Suicides soundtrack. Air's last two attempts, 10,000 HTZ and Talkie Walkie had maintained the bands synth driven space pop, but overall, had been inconsistent from start to finish as complete records. On those releases, pop tunes jump up seemingly out of place in otherwise velvety smooth outer-space albums. Pocket Symphonie s is Air doing what they do best; focusing on sleepier mysteries. While the last few albums have relied heavily on drum machine beats and thick tracking and production, Pocket Symphonies unfolds delicate sound-scapes using the lighter side of Nigel Godrichs ingenious production. Sparse instrumentation - piano, live drums, traditional Japanese instruments the Koto and Shamisen - are blended into the standard Air arsenal of vintage synths, keyboards and organs.

The band says the new album was influenced by their own tune, "Alone in Koyoto," featured in the film Lost in Translation. Following the nature of that song, the new compositions seem to be more deliberate then they have been, and the album finds the duo relying less on heavy production and more on crafting with musicianship. The duo steps away from verse/chorus song arrangements and into something they call 'Haiku Music''; the repetition of short lyrical and musical phrases. The songs 'Napalm Love' and 'Once Upon a time' are perfect examples of this haiku music, including the use of the Koto and Shamisen instruments. With no lyrics at all 'Mayfair Song' draws you in with its simple melodic cycles. Air wanted Pocket Symphonies to be a little piece of quietness among the tornado of information avaliable to us. While certainly keeping with their unique futuristic sound, this record finds subtle inspirations in classical and traditional forms and indeed becomes a successful breath of quietness.