Par Avion (album)

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Par Avion
Par Avion (album).jpg
Studio album by
Xeno & Oaklander
ReleasedJune 24, 2014 (2014-06-24)
StudioX&O (Brooklyn, New York) [1]
Length31:59
Label Ghostly International
Producer
  • Sean McBride
  • Liz Wendelbo
Xeno & Oaklander chronology
Sets & Lights
(2011)		Par Avion
(2014)		Topiary
(2016)
Singles from Par Avion
  1. "Sheen"
    Released: May 15, 2013 [2]
  2. "Par Avion"
    Released: November 12, 2013 [3]
  3. "Interface"
    Released: April 15, 2014 [4]

Par Avion is a studio album by Xeno & Oaklander, a duo of Sean McBride and Liz Wendelbo. It was released on June 24, 2014, through Ghostly International. It received generally favorable reviews from critics. [5]

Contents

Background

Xeno & Oaklander consists of American musician Sean McBride and French/Norwegian musician Liz Wendelbo. [6] They are originally from Brooklyn, New York. [7]

In 2013, the duo released the single "Sheen" through Electric Voice. [8] It was made available as a digital download accompanied with a silk-screened, pocket-sized pamphlet, limited to 2,000 copies. [9] The duo then signed to Ghostly International and released the singles "Par Avion" (2013) [10] and "Interface" (2014). [11]

For Par Avion, the duo took inspiration from synesthesia. [6] The album was released on June 24, 2014, through Ghostly International. [12] Music videos were released for the songs "Sheen" [13] and "Par Avion". [14]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 72/100 [5]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [15]
Exclaim! 6/10 [16]
The Line of Best Fit 6/10 [17]
Uncut 8/10 [18]

According to the review aggregator Metacritic , Par Avion received "generally favorable reviews" based on a weighted average score of 72 out of 100 from 7 critic scores. [5]

Ashley Zlatopolsky of Exclaim! stated, "Xeno & Oaklander aren't modest or shy about their synth use; it's the main element in each of the nine tracks, slowed down and sped up to suit corresponding echoing vocals (both in English and French) balanced with distant, low-key drums." [16] Heather Phares of AllMusic commented that "the album presents some of their most delicate and nuanced material alongside some of their most direct songs." [15] She added, "At once hookier and more abstract than some of X&O's previous albums, Par Avion is another subtle step forward for the duo that should please longtime fans and win new ones." [15]

Chris Todd of The Line of Best Fit commented that "Par Avion is awash with slightly gothic electronic doom in thrall to Giorgio Moroder and proto-industrial types Crash Course in Science in equal measure, but by continuing to use such a clinical production ethic, they will always remain obtuse, pale executors of the slightly indie, slightly analogue thing, and slightly ethereal, esoteric electro thing." [17] Joe Sweeny of The Quietus stated, "McBride and Wendelbo spend a third of the album singing two different lyric sheets simultaneously, and while it's an ambitious idea when you look at the words side by side, it has a muddying effect on a style that thrives on simplicity." [19]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Sean McBride and Liz Wendelbo.

Par Avion track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Interface"5:01
2."Lastly"3:09
3."Sheen"3:57
4."Par Avion"4:17
5."Jasmine Nights"4:14
6."Reflections"2:26
7."Nuage d'Ivoire"3:23
8."Providence"2:11
9."G. Bruno"3:20
Total length:31:59

Personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes. [1]

References

  1. 1 2 Xeno & Oaklander (2014). Par Avion (CD booklet). Ghostly International.
  2. ↑ Hudson, Alex (May 15, 2013). "Xeno & Oaklander "Sheen"". Exclaim! . Retrieved July 20, 2025.
  3. ↑ "Par Avion | Xeno & Oaklander". Bandcamp . Retrieved July 20, 2025.
  4. ↑ "GI-212 Xeno & Oaklander — Interface". Ghostly International . Retrieved July 20, 2025.
  5. 1 2 3 "Par Avion by Xeno & Oaklander". Metacritic . Retrieved July 20, 2025.
  6. 1 2 Phares, Heather. "Xeno & Oaklander". AllMusic . Retrieved July 20, 2025.
  7. ↑ Crowell, John (September 8, 2014). "Xeno & Oaklander". Tiny Mix Tapes . Retrieved July 20, 2025.
  8. ↑ Neyland, Nick (May 15, 2013). "Xeno & Oaklander: "Sheen"". Pitchfork . Retrieved July 20, 2025.
  9. ↑ Hudson, Alex (April 24, 2013). "Xeno & Oaklander Team Up with Electric Voice Records for New "Sheen" Single". Exclaim! . Retrieved July 20, 2025.
  10. ↑ Fitzmaurice, Larry (November 12, 2013). "Xeno & Oaklander: "Par Avion"". Pitchfork . Retrieved July 20, 2025.
  11. ↑ Adams, Gregory (April 15, 2014). "Xeno & Oaklander Sign to Ghostly International for 'Par Avion'". Exclaim! . Retrieved July 20, 2025.
  12. ↑ "Xeno & Oaklander releasing new LP on Ghostly (streams), DJing at Other Music on #RSD14, opening for Adult. in NYC". BrooklynVegan . April 15, 2014. Retrieved July 20, 2025.
  13. ↑ "Xeno & Oaklander released a new single and video, album out this fall". BrooklynVegan . August 12, 2013. Retrieved July 20, 2025.
  14. ↑ "Xeno & Oaklander released their new LP (stream it), playing Baby's in August after July's MHOW show". BrooklynVegan . June 30, 2014. Retrieved July 20, 2025.
  15. 1 2 3 Phares, Heather. "Par Avion - Xeno & Oaklander". AllMusic . Retrieved July 20, 2025.
  16. 1 2 Zlatopolosky, Ashley (July 15, 2014). "Xeno & Oaklander". Exclaim! . Retrieved July 20, 2025.
  17. 1 2 Todd, Chris (July 17, 2014). "Xeno & Oaklander - Par Avion". The Line of Best Fit . Retrieved July 20, 2025.
  18. ↑ Martin, Piers (September 2014). "New Albums". Uncut : 81.
  19. ↑ Sweeney, Joe (July 1, 2014). "Xeno & Oaklander — Par Avion". The Quietus . Retrieved July 20, 2025.

Further reading

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