As one-half of French electro-pop duo Air, Jean-Benoit Dunckel's otherworldly vocals and gorgeous, honeyed synthesizer textures defined the group's retro-futurist sound. Stepping out on his own under the moniker Darkel, Dunkel has crafted a solo debut as sweetly melancholy and irresistible as the best of his efforts with Air. The album contains a balance of perfect pop numbers along with darker, more mysterious pieces. Especially surprising is the nearly punk primitive streak of the Stooges-like "TV Destroy." Showcasing a different side from the weightless, post-Bacharach MOR of his former band, DARKEL is eccentric pop in the tradition of Syd Barrett and Brian Wilson.