Sounds of AIR Playlist 001

Welcome to Sounds of AIR, a curated playlist inspired by everything from innovation to sustainability and design. This playlist, titled "Minimalism," serves as an ongoing soundtrack to what we’re doing at AIR COMPANY and focuses on themes of reduction and simplification as a nod to our commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. 

Minimalism was an art movement and musical approach that took shape in the 60s and 70s. It focused on simplification, gradual evolution, economy of scale and reduction as ways to speak to larger themes within society (overpopulation, increasing speeds, progressing technology, infinitely scaling architecture). Our playlist features classical minimalist compositions, electronic experiments and contemporary artists across pop and ambient that were heavily influenced by 20th-century minimalism.

Minimalist compositions often present a paradox in sound. They are melodically simple, despite being populated with overlapping rhythms and musical notes, achieved through sustained repetition and overlays of musical phrases. The music is highly technical, almost engineered, but still loose enough to evolve and shift shape over time. It feels alive, organic and synthetic all at once—a soundtrack to contemporary life. 

The sparse approach and style of Minimalism finds its roots in earlier classical compositions, notably those of Erik Satie and Franz Schubert. Satie, a French composer of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, was known for his experimental approach to music. Similarly, Franz Schubert, an Austrian composer of the early Romantic period, explored themes of simplicity and repetition in his compositions. The playlist also features compositions by Terry Riley, Philip Glass and Steve Reich, alongside electronic creations by Laurie Spiegel and Suzanne Ciani and contemporary artists like Oneohtrix Point Never, Tim Hecker and Laurel Halo. This blend between acoustic classical and contemporary electronic sounds alludes to an exploration of technology's transformative capabilities and varied outcomes—its ability to declutter, mutate, deconstruct, simplify and rebuild. 

By embracing repetition and glacial paces, the music captures the gradual movements of matter and air, reflecting the slow yet transformative processes shaping our planet. Like AIR COMPANY, these songs celebrate the role technology plays in helping us comprehend and navigate our surroundings, inviting listeners to contemplate the interplay between humanity and the natural world. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do.