Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Equinoxe (Part I)
2. Equinoxe (Part II)
3. Equinoxe (Part III)
4. Equinoxe (Part IV)
5. Equinoxe (Part V)
6. Equinoxe (Part VI)
7. Equinoxe (Part VII)
8. Equinoxe (Part VIII)

Disc 2:

1. Oxygene (Part I)
2. Oxygene (Part II)
3. Oxygene (Part III)
4. Oxygene (Part IV)
5. Oxygene (Part V)
6. Oxygene (Part VI)

Disc 3:

1. Chronologie (Part I)
2. Chronologie (Part II)
3. Chronologie (Part III)
4. Chronologie (Part IV)
5. Chronologie (Part V)
6. Chronologie (Part VI)
7. Chronologie (Part VII)
8. Chronologie (Part VIII)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #7971 in Music
• Released on: 2005-10-24
• Number of discs: 3
• Format: Box set

Customer Reviews

An artist more influential than you may first think
Jean Michel Jarre( Or Jean -Michel Jarre as he used to be known .He dropped the hyphen in 1991) released his first album "Oxygene" in 1977( It had been released in his native France a year earlier) at the height of the punk phenomenon. Even though i was a massive punk fan i had a closet fascination with various artists considered criminally un-cool. Pink Floyd, The Moody Blues, Neil Diamond and most pertinently the ambient "EG" works of Brian Eno and by proxy it,s various off-shoots.Through this my voracious musical antenna picked up on groups like Kraftwerk and then Jean Michel Jarre.
"Oxygene" is considered by many to be the most important and influential electronic album ever released. It,s lush glistening surfaces glided over the sumptuous melodious lines swishing effortlessly along the spacious highways. Compared to the harder clinical Kraftwerk or the esoteric expansive tones of Tangerine Dream Jarre,s music had mass appeal and on the back of the single "Oxygene Part IV"- a massive worldwide hit and one of the most recognisable pieces of electronic music ever- Jarre became a major artist.
Key instruments of Jarre's sound included his use of the Dutch organ Eminent (strings), Electroharmonix Small Stone phaser on synthetic string pads, and liberal use of echo on various sound effects generated by the VCS3 synthesizer. He also manipulated a Korg Minipops drum machine to create totally unique rhythms and drum sounds.It would be difficult to argue with Jarre,s influence, even on much dance music- try listening to the swooping rhythmic lines of Orbital or The Disco Evangelists and deny that there are elements of Jarre in there.
Capitalising on his success Jarre released "Equinoxe" in 1978. There was,not a massively discernible difference between this and his previous album , though listening to the two close together "Equinoxe" is more rhythmically audacious with brasher bass lines and carefully sequenced melodic themes. The use of customised instruments made with Michael Geiss also gave the album a distinctive sound.
The inclusion of the 1993 album "Chronologie" in this box set may seem a bit random given that he released numerous other albums between 1978 and 1993 but Chronologie while embracing the burgeoning techno scene also heralded a return to the thematic core of the "Oxygene" and "Equinoxe" albums where a central motif provides much of the music's timbre. The album was recorded using high-tech( At least at that point) synthesisers and as befits the title had time as it.s motif and as such featured the sound of sampled clocks ticking along stringent contemporary rhythms .
As well as including his most famous and indeed best albums, this box set along with the third album represents pretty decent value, given the cost of the three albums separately. While never perceived as an artist at the cusp of the zeitgeist Jarre has influenced directly or subliminally more artists than you can shake a glo-stick at. Air, Leftfield, The Future Sound Of London to name three that spring instantly to mind. Mostly though its tremendous to listen to with the headphones on in the dark as you slip into blissful unconsciousness..something i have done many many times.

Really rather good
I bought this box set out of curiousity, expecting it to be rather naff.
I was wrong; forget all the hype, the silly shows, the Gary Numan fans etc and it becomes apparent that Oxygene is a really good album. As is Equinoxe. Chronologie is a bit more variable, but still has good parts to it.
All three are also a lot more fun than I expected.

A Great Collection For All
Oxygene (1976 Originally), Equinoxe (1978 Originally) & Chronologie (1993 Originally) are 3 stunning pieces of work.

It goes without saying that Oxygene established Jarre, especially with Oxygene IV (and Oxygene II). If you asked someone if they had ever heard of Jarre and they replied "no", then whistle the tune of Oxygene IV - they will soon realise!

Equinoxe was a fantasic follow-up album, a perfect 'No. 2', and Chronologie has been very popular, which was Jarre's first 'Modern' mode of his music, dedicated to the passage of time, probably meaning that it was time for a change.

To listen to the albums; Oxygene is rich in warm and creative swirling and developing soundscapes that envelope you to a state of bliss, Equinoxe starts to explore new features including clever arpeggiation and more synth lead & pad sounds, and Chronologie is Jarre's gateway to a new way of exploring his creativity.

A brilliant collection, and certainly a must for the avid electronica collector, or simply to sample some of the very best of Jarre.