Rendez-vous

by

Jean Michel Jarre

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Although not the best place to start if you're new to Jean Michel's work - Oxygene, Equinoxe, Revolutions and Chronologie are more likely to get you hooked - this is a must have for any serious music collection that involves electronic music.

Although most well known for the Houston/Lyon double act of 1986 as well as having Final Rendez-vous (to use the correct name) becoming the 'theme' of the Challenger disaster that same year, Rendez-vous stands out on its own as an album that perfectly showcases Jean Michel's talents.

Opening with a dramatic piece that rams an image of space vistas into your head, the tone is epic and relaxed. Before you get yourself too lazy though, Second Rendez-vous shoots you right between the eyes with its dramatic three-part ten minute score. Punctuated in the middle by Jarre's laser harp dancing, it finishes by reaching a climax and then filtering away into the night.

Third Rendez-vous shows off the laser harp as a wonderful solo instrument. Why more artists don't use this thing is anyone's guess! Fourth-Rendezvous is quite frankly the piece that got me infected with Jarreitus. Although better when performed live complete with light show and fireworks, it's still a fine toe-tapping piece to listen to in any guise (yes, even Rendez-vous '98...), although as many have said, it feels somewhat out of place sandwiched between Third Rendez-vous and Fifth Rendez-vous.

Fifth Rendez-vous is a return to a more 'calmer' piece where if you listen carefully, you'll hear fragments of previous tracks. Of course, Final Rendez-vous is a triumph. Both saddening but at the same time full of the idea of space, the album bows out on a high.

Easily one of Jarre's greatest works it's well worth having. The continued inclusion of both Second Rendez-vous and Fourth-Rendezvous in Jean Michel's live concerts are testament to the album's greatness.

As you might think, I am not a die hard fan of JMJ, I think that when only die hard fans rates an album, it makes you think that with such a high rating, everybody should love this album and this is not the thruth.

Not everybody like this king of musical experimentation, some do but some don't...I like Oxygene and Equinoxe, and even after all those years, they are still good to listen too. Rendez vous offers some really good moments, but we are far from the perfection as Oxygene or Equinoxe. Rendez-vous is easier to get use to that Zoolook is, but we are far from a near perfect album. That's all !