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Oxygène 3

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This article is about the album. For the molecule, see Ozone.
Not to be confused with Oxygène Part III from the original album, Oxygène.
Oxygène 3
Studio album by
Jean-Michel Jarre
Released2 December 2016
Recorded2016
GenreElectronic
Length39:54
Label
ProducerJean-Michel Jarre
Jean-Michel Jarre chronology
Electronica 2: The Heart of Noise
(2016) 		Oxygène 3
(2016) 		Radiophonie vol. 9
(2017)
Singles from Oxygène 3
  1. "Oxygène (Part 17)"
    Released: 4 November 2016

Oxygène 3 is the nineteenth studio album by the French electronic musician and composer Jean-Michel Jarre. Announced via a post on Jarre's Instagram account,[1] the album was released on 2 December 2016, on the 40th anniversary of the original Oxygène album.

Background

[edit]

In 1997, another sequel Oxygène 7-13 was released on the 20th anniversary to the 1976 album Oxygène.[2] During the recording of his 2015 album Electronica 1: The Time Machine,[3] Jarre composed a piece of music (later titled "Oxygene 19") that "made me think about what Oxygene could be if I was composing it today." In an interview with Billboard he stated: "What made the first Oxygene so different at the time, is probably the minimalist aspect, and the fact that there are almost no drums, and I wanted to keep this approach, creating the groove mainly with the sequences and the structure of the melodies only".[4]

Recording

[edit]

The 1976 album was made on an 8-track multitrack with very few instruments. "I tried to keep this minimalist approach for Oxygene 3," Jarre stated.[5] Jarre also stated that the album is separated into two distinct "light and dark" sides.[6] "Oxygène (Part 20)" samples "Oxygène (Part VI)" from the original album within the sounds of wind and white noise that play at the beginning of the track.[7] The album was recorded in just six weeks and mixed by Jarre using the Ableton Live audio software.[8][9]

Artwork

[edit]

The album cover features a 3D model that recreates the original Michel Granger design used for the 1976 album.[10] For the cover, Jarre asked Granger for permission to make a model based on his artwork, but from another angle. According to Jarre the artwork is "an ecological warning signal, dark and surreal, evoking both outer space and that of our vital living space." He also added that it had "become inseparable from the music."[6]

Release

[edit]

Oxygène 3 was released on December 2, 2016, on Sony and Columbia labels,[11] celebrating the 40th anniversary of the original Oxygène album.[12] The album's first single was "Oxygene (Part 17)" and had a music video that combined live footage from the "Electronic World Tour" with "truly otherworldly" clips.[11] It was released as a standalone album on digital download, CD, and LP, as well as in the Oxygène Trilogy package that brings together the three volumes of the Oxygène series and contains a coffee-table book.[4]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic65/100[13]
Review scores
SourceRating
The Spill Magazine[14]
The Skinny[15]
AllMusic[16]
The Arts Desk[17]
Financial Times[18]
Release Magazine[19]

Paul Simpson of AllMusic commented that "it's rich and adventurous but it never goes over the top, which is a relief."[16] Mike Barnes of LouderSound wrote that "Oxygene 3 is a resounding success and shouldn't be seen as an exercise in fame by association with their own work, an extension of the 'brand', which was a sentiment that hung quite a lot about Tubular Bells II by Mike Oldfield and Thick as a Brick 2 by Ian Anderson".[8] Nina Corocan of Consequence stated that "while full of good intentions, the album never quite finds its footing over the course of its seven tracks, inevitably failing to deliver a cohesive tone."[3]

The Spill Magazine stated that "this album is full of unusual melodies that create emotions, and at times while listening oxygen begins to disappear in the room."[14] In The Skinny, Gary Kaill rated it as "a minimalist — and exquisitely melancholy — wonder."[15] John Paul of Spectrum Culture commented that "while not nearly the revolutionary release its predecessor was some 40 years ago, Oxygene 3 helps to reaffirm Jarre's place in the increasingly crowded world of minimalist electronic music that he helped pioneer."[20] Thomas H Green of The Arts Desk wrote that "he retains the stripped-back, wafting instrumental prog-pop vibe of the album's predecessors, although the main indication it's an Oxygene album is the endless stoner-friendly wind noise whooshing smeared liberally over everything."[17]

Financial Times writer Ludovic Hunter-Tilney described as "an ornate and luxuriant tribute to the analogue tones of vintage synthesisers, an artfully arranged constellation of electronic chimes, bleeps and whooshes."[18] Fredrik Schlatta Wik of Release Magazine wrote that "the whole album lacks oxygen (pun intended). The sounds are fantastic, almost as a display of Jarre preset, but the lack of Jarresque melody, structure and build up is borderline annoying. Also despite being quite minimalistic, I found the mix and mastering a bit cluttered here, quite strained on at times and on few occasions and not overly pleasant to listen to."[19]

Track listing

[edit]

All tracks written by Jean-Michel Jarre.

No.TitleLength
1."Oxygène (Part 14)"5:28
2."Oxygène (Part 15)"6:40
3."Oxygène (Part 16)"6:50
4."Oxygène (Part 17)"4:20
5."Oxygène (Part 18)"2:48
6."Oxygène (Part 19)"5:45
7."Oxygène (Part 20)"7:58

Equipment

[edit]

Adapted from liner notes of this album in vinyl:[9]

Charts

[edit]
Chart performance for Oxygène 3
Chart (2016) Peak
position
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[21] 47
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[22] 30
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[23] 47
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[24] 20
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[25] 23
French Albums (SNEP)[26] 50
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[27] 34
Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)[28] 23
Polish Albums (ZPAV)[29] 33
Scottish Albums (OCC)[30] 44
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[31] 44
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[32] 46
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[33] 14
UK Albums (OCC)[34] 41

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Oxygene 3". Jean-Michel Jarre on Instagram. 30 September 2016. Archived from the original on 2021-12-25.
  2. ^ Todesco, Claudio (22 December 2016). "√ ARP + MacBook = Oxygene 3: il ritorno di Jean Michel Jarre". Rockol (in Italian). Retrieved 4 October 2022.
  3. ^ a b "Album Review: Jean-Michel Jarre - Oxygène 3". Consequence. 1 December 2016. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  4. ^ a b Billboard Staff (30 September 2016). "Jean-Michel Jarre Announces 'Oxygene 3' Album, Final Installment in 40-Year Trilogy". Billboard. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
  5. ^ "Jean-Michel Jarre announces second album of 2016, Oxygène 3". Resident Advisor. 30 September 2016.
  6. ^ a b "Jean-Michel Jarre announces new album 'Oxygène 3' - Dancing Astronaut". Dancing Astronaut. October 2016.
  7. ^ "April CD of the Month:Jean-Michel Jarre Oxygene Trilogy". Echoes. 2 April 2017. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  8. ^ a b Barnes, Mike (28 November 2016). "Jean-Michel Jarre - Oxygène 3 album review". loudersound. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  9. ^ a b Oxygène 3 (booklet). Columbia/Sony. 2016-12-02. 88985361881.
  10. ^ Robbins, Caryn (30 September 2016). "Jean-Michel Jarre Announces Brand New Studio Album OXYGENE 3". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  11. ^ a b Thiessen, Brock (23 November 2016). "Jean-Michel Jarre "Oxygene Pt. 17" (video)". Exclaim!. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
  12. ^ "Jean-Michel Jarre announces Oxygene 3 - Uncut". Uncut. 30 September 2016.
  13. ^ "Oxygene 3". Metacritic. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  14. ^ a b Badgley, Aaron (2 December 2016). "SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JEAN-MICHEL JARRE - OXYGÈNE 3". The Spill Magazine. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
  15. ^ a b Kaill, Gary (30 November 2016). "Jean-Michel Jarre: Oxygene 3 - Album review". The Skinny. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
  16. ^ a b Simpson, Paul. Oxygène 3 at AllMusic
  17. ^ a b "CD: Jean-Michel Jarre - Oxygene 3". The Arts Desk. 4 December 2016. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
  18. ^ a b Hunter-Tilney, Ludovic (9 December 2016). "Jean-Michel Jarre: Oxygene 3 — review". Financial Times. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
  19. ^ a b Schlatta Wik, Fredrik (2 December 2016). "Jean-Michel Jarre – Oxygene 3". Release Magazine. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
  20. ^ "Jean-Michel Jarre: Oxygène 3". Spectrum Culture. 16 December 2016. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
  21. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Jean-Michel Jarre – Oxygene 3" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
  22. ^ "Ultratop.be – Jean-Michel Jarre – Oxygene 3" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  23. ^ "Ultratop.be – Jean-Michel Jarre – Oxygene 3" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  24. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Jean-Michel Jarre – Oxygene 3" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  25. ^ "Jean-Michel Jarre: Oxygene 3" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  26. ^ "Lescharts.com – Jean-Michel Jarre – Oxygene 3". Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
  27. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Jean-Michel Jarre – Oxygene 3" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
  28. ^ "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 2016. {{{week}}}. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved 16 December 2016.
  29. ^ "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS - Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
  30. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  31. ^ "Spanishcharts.com – Jean-Michel Jarre – Oxygene 3". Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  32. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Jean-Michel Jarre – Oxygene 3". Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  33. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Jean-Michel Jarre – Oxygene 3". Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
  34. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
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