Biography

First known for his work with the pioneering electronic duo Air, composer/producer/multi-instrumentalist Nicolas Godin makes sophisticated and inventive music on his own. His solo albums dive into concepts ranging from the post-modern interpretations of Bach on 2015's Contrepoint to the architectural homages of 2020's Concrete and Glass. Godin also made a name for himself as a composer with his '60s-inspired score to the French TV series A Very Secret Service. Born in Paris, France on Christmas Day in 1969, Godin began playing in rock bands when he was a teenager. From there, he dabbled in soul, hip-hop, and other sounds. While studying architecture at the École Nationale Supérieure d'Architecture de Versailles, he met mathematics student and future bandmate Jean-Benoît Dunckel Jean-Benoît Dunckel. Prior to forming Air, they played in the alternative band Orange along with house music producer-to-be Étienne de Crécy. After Orange disbanded, Godin was asked by another longtime friend to contribute a track for a compilation for the label Source, he recorded "Modulor Mix," a tribute to Le Corbusier created with an eight-track, drum loops, and a handful of vintage synths and keyboards. Following the track's release on the 1995 collection Source Lab, Godin recruited Dunckel to help him further develop the music he was making, and Air was born.The duo's unique mix of symphonic pop, film music, vintage electronic music, and new wave spawned 1998's instant-classic full-length debut, Moon Safari, as well as noteworthy albums like 2001's experimental 10,000 Hz Legend and 2004's lush Talkie Walkie. Godin and Dunckel also put their own mark on film music with soundtracks to The Virgin Suicides and Le Voyage Dans la Lune. After releasing the latter album in 2012, Air went on hiatus. While Dunckel engaged in several collaborations, Godin concentrated on an album inspired by pianist Glenn Gould's interpretations of Johann Sebastian Bach's keyboard music. Contrepoint, which also included jazz, tropicalia, exotica, and left-field pop among its wide swath of influences, first arrived in September 2015 and was given a wider release the following year. Around this time, Godin also created the music to the French '60s spy TV series A Very Secret Service, which paid homage to Lalo Schifrin, John Barry, and the era's other great composers. On his second solo album, 2020's sleek Concrete and Glass, he returned to his architectural roots for inspiration and collaborated with Hot Chip’s Alexis Taylor, Kadhja Bonet and Kirin J. Callinan.~ Heather Phares