Air: Tiny Desk Concert
Video Overview & Insights
Lars Gotrich | December 5, 2025
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There's nothing easy about the laid-back cool of Air's music. On record and for film soundtracks, the French electronic duo turns distressed dreams into symphonies plucked from cotton candy clouds — sonically light, but heavy with emotion. Yet to see Air's members perform live, everything seems so effortless.
Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoît Dunckel have been looking back on Air's catalog recently, extending the anniversary tour of their debut album. Surrounded by synths and keys bearing Air's block-letter logo, the band opens this Tiny Desk with "Le Voyage de Pénélope," the piano-driven, interstellar fantasia from 1998's Moon Safari. Talkie Walkie's "Cherry Blossom Girl," a sweet love song with slightly sinister undertones, gets stripped back to acoustic guitar, a sparse Rhodes melody and close harmonies.
such an perfection
Officially released 25 years ago, Air's score for The Virgin Suicides, Sofia Coppola's first film, still captures a specific, yet universal nostaglia. In her essay for NPR Music, writer Paula Mejía says the soundtrack has "become a reference point for film composers aiming to create more than just an atmosphere for characters to inhabit." Watching Air perform "Highschool Lover" and "Dirty Trip" behind the Desk, a collective memory occurs — not from the movie itself, but our own teenage selves re-living crushes, awkward encounters and impossible-to-describe feelings.
SET LIST
Love Cherry Blossom Girl.
"Le Voyage de Pénélope"
"Cherry Blossom Girl"
Total Roger Waters vibe on the second song here. So awesome. Love you guys forever!
"Highschool Lover"
"Dirty Trip"
c'est magnifique
MUSICIANS
Nicolas Godin: piano, guitar, bass, vocals
Great to see them at Tiny Desk. I just wish they played longer, and with Playground Love Instead of Highschool Lover
Jean-Benoît Dunckel: keys, piano, vocals
Louis Delorme: drums, keys, vocals
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Robin Hilton
Nicolas Godin is a God all in ! His Bass playing is mindblowing. What a monster !
Director/Editor: Maia Stern
Audio Technical Director: Josh Newell
los amo
Host/Series Producer: Bobby Carter
Videographers: Maia Stern, Joshua Bryant, Sofia Seidel
Tiny Desk Sound Engineer: "How many keyboards are you plugging in?"
Air: "Oui."
Audio Engineer: Hannah Gluvna
Production Assistant: Dora Levite
Estos si que son capos de verdad.
Photographer: Maansi Srivastava
Tiny Desk Team: Kara Frame, Ashley Pointer
This is a great find tonight 🎉🎉😊 thanks for sharing
Series Editor: Lars Gotrich
Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
sounds great❤❤❤❤❤❤
Executive Director: Sonali Mehta
Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson, Robin Hilton
always click on air
#nprmusic #tinydesk #air
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Cuando escuché Le Voyage de Penelope en vivo sentí que esa canción había despertado algo dentro de mi ✨✨✨✨
More User Perspectives
Beast synths, Air is just something else
@mystrdatWhenever I hear them playing their music I wanna buy a 1975 Ferrari and drive through Paris in the seveties towards Rive Gauche . . .
@43painterI love them! Merci beaucoup
@anaceciliamugaslobos6095❤
@carlcruysberghs2298Their music is ethereal...
@DudefromnhQue gran música, AIR, son maravillosos
@migueldevazquezalperi754On a souvent tendance à oublier qu'Air c'est avant tout de très bon zicos! Bravo à eux, toujours au top
@AcesHighParrots9:29.. that bass..
@logicn.reasoning9744Love this, absolutely! You know whom I would love to see in the desk? Everything but the girl! Depeche Mode ?
@verolebaq3918grax a Dios incluyeron Le Voyage de Pénélope, mis oídos fueron bendecidos💗
@anavalentinaenciniaescobed7807真好听
@书书井Sick!
@grahamwaddingham620Let's take a minute to appreciate the snare sound, amazing
@MartinPinzon-f9xwow¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡
@zzaammuroLos amo
@mana.-s.-lLove the t-shirt
@andresjimenez5523que buenos son, madre mia.
@germánmadridmodeUna chulada de banda!
@gabrielrosalesmontesThe bass is the coolest sounding instrument ever
@sofiaciandella2985Fantastic Air to breath
@christophgross6672At university I asked my french roommate to bring me back copies of all the Air music he could find and a case of Gauloises blonds
@instantchowMy 20-year-old self is smiling.
@juang5976Brilliant
@Matshef<3
@paunchycatDesde México!!!!! Son enormes!!!!... Tocaron mi corazón!!!..
@PEPESANCHEZSANCHEZ-l1dI'm amazed at how these guys (musicians in general) can play any type of keyboard, guitar, bass, washing machine... with such ease.
@oversampledvoidHow the heck did I miss this?!
@kikesantos2854same period of daft punk or justice. there are friends. versailles
@lionelp6602Up there amongst the best - such musicianship
@ronaldkableБраво! Я хлопал в ладоши вместе с залом. Спасибо, ребята!
@Vitko_freedomcars💕💕
@mjb_recordsincreible
@fso.so tight
@WeraroaWizard420Uffff... bravoooo y gracias!
@LaraLCPTiny desk having the best concerts rn
@luisalmeida6054