The answer to this is yes, yes and YES! This new album was never intended to be a lavish polished production, instead it sounds rough in places but it has Jarre doing what he does best; creating haunting, ambient soundscapes that will stay with you for a long time and transport you to another place.
The album is a return to the Jarre of yore, and his old self but with the added wisdom that comes with age. For me the standout tracks are Oxygene 14, 17, 19 and 20 but after only 3 listens this may change. Tracks 14 to 16 work well together and flow beautifully to create the right Oxygene mood, with familiar instrumentation across the pieces. Part 17 is a great piece of electronic pop and I can imagine it on the dancefloor of many synth-electro clubs. Part 19 changes quite a lot during its near 6 minutes, weaving in bits of past tracks to create a uncertain soundscape with arpeggios that John Carpenter would be proud of. Track 20 is a sublime end to the album, building slowly and dramatically to an almost funereal dirge, but in the best possible way.
Some of the younger Jarre fans may not fully appreciate this new release but it is a fitting conclusion to the Oxygene trilogy and sits well with the other 2 albums, complementing them and adding to their tapestry. I am relieved and pleased that Jarre's legacy will remain intact and he will be remembered for being a true pioneer rather than a retro throwback who struggled to be relevant. In such unsettling times as these maybe we could all do with being transported to other worlds, at least for a while.
