Electronica, Vol. 1: The Time Machine
by Jean Michel Jarre
  • Record Label: RCA
  • Release Date: Oct 16, 2015
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 12 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 12
  3. Negative: 2 out of 12
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  1. rosuna
    Dec 19, 2015
    10
    This is the album of a master in electronic music.
    The tracks are very different, so this album is a collection of collaborations. Jarre explains he wished to blend the DNA of different musicians sharing a passion for electronic music. Every track is a marvel, but you have to pay attention to them separately. Vince Clarke's Automatic 1 & 2 have the typical Jarre's melody, exciting and    This is the album of a master in electronic music.
    The tracks are very different, so this album is a collection of collaborations. Jarre explains he wished to blend the DNA of different musicians sharing a passion for electronic music. Every track is a marvel, but you have to pay attention to them separately. Vince Clarke's Automatic 1 & 2 have the typical Jarre's melody, exciting and dynamic. Those pieces are very complex in the arrangements and is a pleasure to follow all the details. Close Your Eyes, with Air, is a sophisticated game, using many different instruments. It sounds like Air, it sounds like Jarre, and it is a demonstration of creativity, inspiration and craft. Laurie Anderson's Rely on Me is intelligent, elegant and imaginative, maybe the best collaboration between Jarre and Anderson to date. Gesaffelstein's Conquistador and Massive Attack's Watching You are dark tracks, and a perfect blend of Jarre's pioneering music (Jarre did tracks like these decades ago) and the vanguard electronic music of our days. The best track is Zero Gravity, with Tangerine Dream. It reminds me Jarre's Arpegiator, but incorporating a touching melody. Carpenter's A Question of Blood is an excellent example of how Jarre modifies the trajectory of the invited musicians. Compare this track with those of Carpenter's Lost Themes album. And I stop here. I have commented only half of this album. You should look at it not like a conceptual unified album, but like a coffer full of refulgent different jewels.    … Expand
  2. winmaciek
    May 9, 2016
    10
    Absolutely great album. It's like a box of Swiss chocolates. They're all both similar and very different. And very pleasant to listen to. My favorite album of 2015.
  3. Doctoresso
    Nov 11, 2015
    6
    It's not easy to get back to the top after so many years after Oxygen. I'm not sure if JJM did it well. Adding vocal to some melodies makes it not quite electronic music. And finally I must say I do prefer younger Jean Michael Jarre.
  4. lemonstar
    Nov 17, 2015
    3
    The quality of the sounds used are pretty good but there are no tracks to get excited about - just moments here and there. It is a collection of musically unrelated tracks but (believe me I'm no connoisseur of dance music - I really don't go a bundle on it) there is too much of a electronic dance music feel to it - all basically driven by one beat, embellished with little sequencer motifsThe quality of the sounds used are pretty good but there are no tracks to get excited about - just moments here and there. It is a collection of musically unrelated tracks but (believe me I'm no connoisseur of dance music - I really don't go a bundle on it) there is too much of a electronic dance music feel to it - all basically driven by one beat, embellished with little sequencer motifs - even if there are key changes or rhythmically different passages - it doesn't sound like it - it's not atmospheric (again there are tiny moments), it's not got an emotional content - there's nothing on it I would want to hear if I went to a live concert. Disappointing. Also conspicuous by their absence is any collaboration with one of the giants in the field of electronic music - Kraftwerk - there are plenty of key ex-members still making some good music - I could imagine Schneider refusing to get involved but not Karl Bartos or Wolfgang Flur - maybe there is something planned for the future on the next volume.… Expand
  5. Thenewone
    Jul 30, 2018
    9
    8 years after the ambiguous Téo & Téa released back in 2007, I personally like T&T album, but of course it's far to be one of the best albums of JMJ.

    Electronica, Vol 1: The Time Machine it's a very diversified album, you have to listen the album patiently track by track, and maybe listen the album 2,3 or as many times as necessary to not have an unfair prejudice. I take a patiently    8 years after the ambiguous Téo & Téa released back in 2007, I personally like T&T album, but of course it's far to be one of the best albums of JMJ.

    Electronica, Vol 1: The Time Machine it's a very diversified album, you have to listen the album patiently track by track, and maybe listen the album 2,3 or as many times as necessary to not have an unfair prejudice.

    I take a patiently listening, and at the end i really enjoy almost the all tracks, the album takes back the Electronica, of T&T, and improves in all good aspects.

    The album it's so good, that is difficult to point the best tracks, but i gonna try.

    Suns Have Gone, Stardust, Immortals, Glory, The Time Machine, Close Your Eyes, A Question of Blood & Automatic Part 2

    Grade: A-    … Expand
  6. AkosBalogh
    Jul 26, 2016
    10
    JMJ has done it finally! Found a way to revive his own blander and blander music world. Infused himself with the music DNA of his past and present contemporary musicians and brought about surprising (Towsend), exciting (Moby), clever (Laurie) and fascinating (any of the songs) etc. pieces of collaboration. Will be remembered not only about Oxygene anymore...

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
63

Generally favorable reviews - based on 5 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 5
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 5
  3. Negative: 0 out of 5
  1. Under The Radar
    Nov 12, 2015
    40
    Despite its proliferation of modern day input, Electronica 1 sounds dated. [Nov-Dec 2015, p.71]
    Read full review
  2. Uncut
    Oct 19, 2015
    60
    Jarre's own pastel-shaded musical signature sometimes gets lost in the crowd. [Nov 2015, p.77]
  3. Mojo
    Oct 19, 2015
    80
    All in all, this is an unqualified triumph. [Nov 2015, p.86]
See all critic reviews »