Following up on the Oxygene album was a difficult standard to match from its creator. However, Jean-Michel Jarre decided to release this album in 1978, just as the interest in Space Age themes and computer devices was beginning to become a popular theme in Western civilization as Star Wars hit the headlines. Although this album was not as well received as Oxygene, this is still likely to be a solidly good listen. Let’s hear this sequel based album and hear where it takes us. Jean-Michel Jarre used over 13 different types of keyboards on this album, which is interesting to note.

Equinoxe, Pt. 1 begins the album with some deep low-end sounds and spacey keyboards, entering into what sounds really fantastic here. This has a definite science-fiction sonic feel to it. More ethereal noises enter, and we are on a journey of sonic bliss. This works very nicely, and it sounds pretty, interesting, and amazing. A lively and excellent listen, this shows a side of musicianship that is often ignored artistically today. The tune is a good dose of surreal Electronic music, and it works well. Nice, it segues into the next track with some interesting digital sounds about it.

Equinoxe, Pt. 2 continues the sonic journey with some excellent string styled spacey sounds that are excellent. The music here is very impressive and detailed. Surely, this is a great set of tunes to take psychedelics to? Regardless, the details and intricacies of this music are amazing, light years ahead of what most other musicians were doing at the time. Even today, this sounds totally impressive. A truly decent listening experience, this is excellent hypnotic and interesting listening. Towards the middle are some strange melodic sounds of what sound like a bit of loose string plucking and percussion. This is a fairly moody sounding piece of music. Still, it works out very well in a musical sense. This instrumental is very different and amazing sounding, and the sonic exploration here is world-class. Brilliant, fantastic, and excellent music, this is one for the musical history books. Just absolutely superb, not a dull moment here. Sure, the minor key melodies evoke sadness, but it still works. Some weird Theremin like sounds are here towards the end, and this beautiful piece of music segues nicely into the next section.

Equinoxe, Pt. 3 begins with a load of digital melodies that actually sound like robotic water flowing. This is a hugely imaginative piece of music and musicality. More whooshing melodies enter, and this piece sounds brilliant, masterful, and ingenious. This tune is a really awe-inspiring and adventurous listen. In fact, the entire album is a great product of hard work and artistic integrity. Some interesting and powerful sonic melodies exist in this tune, and it just is a joy to hear. Refreshing, spiritual, and soulful Electronic music, this is exactly what one needs when the mood strikes. Many hooks and melodic keyboard parts are present here, and this futuristic album is a tasty listen. A definite classic of masterful Electronic music, before the postmodern era of digital music. The second half has some interesting head rush sounds that are marvelous. Even for a casual listener, this will leave a lasting impression. A very good instrument for five minutes of your time, this is a futuristic and amazing sounding piece of music. It segues again into the next track, a fantastic listen.

Equinoxe, Pt. 4 is the midsection of this album. It fades out the previous track, with a 4/4 beat and some spacey Electronic instrumentation about it. Jean-Michel Jarre was obviously carving out a future for music here. This seven-minute-long epic sounds truly amazing and different. It has some more structured melodic sounds and instrumentation about it. Again, this is otherworldy music and sounds like something that is perfect for astronauts to hear in space. This music is deep, intricate, and great musically. The spacey shifts in melodic sections and pitch of the main melodies are truly interesting and exciting. There are some makeshift piano sounds here, along with some sounds that, although have been copied by others since, have never been matched to this masterpiece of Electronic music. Some proto-Acid House squelches are towards the middle of the track, and it sounds audibly delicious. This is a sonic trip that people who take LSD should hear. All in all, this is a fantastic and loveable tune with enough decent structure and melody for the listener to enjoy. The second half has a piano riff, liquid whooshes, and a load of stereo panning. A really tasty audio treat, this sounds wonderfully impressive. A fine effort, this is very clever and intellectual science fiction music for the soul. Towards the end are some amazing keyboard parts and a Theremin returns as well. Fans of Electronic music everywhere will rejoice at this music, as will musical historians. This fades out gently as side one of the album wraps up. Excellent.

Equinoxe, Pt. 5 begins with the sound of rain and thunder, before quickly launching into another space and science fiction styled journey for those who are still on board. This is more rhythmic than the previous pieces on this album, and it just sounds amazing, revolutionary and legendary in many different ways. A great tune with some nicely cut-up melodies and sounds that are really forward thinking and futuristic. This is a bit like 1980s Synth Pop, except it has much more artistic resonance than that style of music. A very exciting, interesting and different tune to hear, this is something surreal and majestic. In the second half this piece continues to create a beauty often unheard in today’s music. An exciting and excellent listen, once again, this is without a doubt one of the greatest albums of all time. This tune eventually wraps up to a close and segues into the next part of the album.

Equinoxe, Pt. 6 continues the musical melodic interest with the sounds of the previous track fading out, and this tune is a precursor to minimal Techno and similar styles of Electronic music that hadn’t even been created by this point, which is interesting to note. A catchy and fascinating tune that sounds brilliant, dynamic and different, this is a fine and short piece for many people to hear and enjoy. Some watery beats enter, which are different and never heard elsewhere. This piece is a melodic and interesting journey throughout sound, and this tune is as consistent as all other tunes on this album. It gradually wraps up with some unique Acid “wet” sounds, before it segues into the next track.

Equinoxe, Pt. 7 is a long piece at nearly eight minutes long. It begins with moody minimalist melodies that continue on for some time. Soon into it, some electrical buzzing style sounds enter in the left channel, along with more spacey string sounds. This is quite deep music, and it sounds exceptionally moving and great. This is a refreshing listen, although a very minor criticism here is that some of it could happen with less repetition on this track. Regardless, this is still solidly consistent with the rest of the album. A forward thinking and beautiful listening experience, this has elements of dark melodies, pointing ahead to a dystopian future. A moody space ballad, it soon has some extra melodic flourishes to change the moodiness of this track for the better. In any case, this works extremely well and is pretty and surreal. Nobody makes music like Jean-Michel Jarre, period. There are some spacey Theremin UFO styled sounds in the second half of the track which sound quite amazing. All the same, this is a revolutionary listening experience that will change your perception of music. In the second half eventually the melodic structures and sounds change, and this piece comes alive. A lengthy but extremely detailed piece of music and musicianship, this is like The Velvet Underground of Electronic music on this album. Enjoyable and relaxing the music, not the lyrics, tells the story here. An enjoyable tune to listen to, there is so much going on here that it demands repeat listens to be experienced. Right towards the end, this piece has some otherworldly melodies, followed by wind sounds, which segues into the next track.

Equinoxe, Pt. 8 begins with watery liquid sounds of rain and thunder from earlier on in the album. This is quickly followed by a strange piece of music and musicality in the right channel, which is keyboard driven. This is another image evoking piece of music that sounds really fantastic. There are electronic horns and Reggae style rhythms, all played on keyboard. This is better than you’d think, as the concept of that is rather weird. Soon enough, the rain and thunder are predominant again, with some spacey melodies about this listen. This quickly ends, followed by a simple keyboard patch that is beautifully melodic. A very interesting tune to hear, it just sounds impressive, pretty and amazing. This final track of this album leaves one to think: is this musical nirvana? The answer is yes, if you enjoy Electronic music without beats. A simple, captivating and great conclusion to a very near perfect album. This is exactly what one should hear if they feel inspired musically. A great listen, it concludes with some multitracked and spacey sounds. Brilliant music.

This is an album that, if you have already heard the legendary Oxygene album and were similarily impressed, then this is a good place to hear more. Again, just like Oxygene, this is an outstanding listening experience that should be cherished by many and if one has not done so already, then they should hear this right now. A fantastic album.

Beautiful Electronic music.

9/10