[The Way Zoolook Tonight] -- Forty years ago this month, French electronic musician Jean-Michel Jarre released his seventh studio album, Zoolook. Depending on the source, this record was released at some point between November 1 and November 16, though several sources do not even cite a specific day. Specific date aside, we are celebrating the 40th anniversary of its release.
I did not know about this album in 1984. I didn't even know of Jean-Michel Jarre until the fall of 1986, two years after Zoolook's release. But the resident assistant for our floor in the dormitory was a huge Jarre fan, and he was happy to share his record collection with anyone who might likewise become a fan.
And I did.
Zoolook was one of the two albums that facilitated my introduction to Jarre's catalog. Of course, if I recall correctly, I often referred to this record as "Zoolookologie." You see, this album's two singles were "Zoolook" and "Zoolookologie." And I knew the album was named after a single; I just seemed to frequently mistake one for the other, namewise at least. Anyway, the focus of this record was creating music from "samples of singing and speech in 25 different languages," which Jarre recorded and edited in a digital sampling synthesizer. He used those sounds as notes and chords, along with some slick drum programming, in phonetic symphonies.
That might make this the most vocal album ever recorded without a lead vocalist.
Zoolook was not as popular, or successful, as Jarre's previous releases. It peaked at #47 in the UK album charts, and it reached the top 30 in several other European countries. It did not chart in the US. Both of the singles, "Zoolook" and "Zoolookologie," received the music video treatment. I still really like the video for "Zoolook," though it also kind of looks like someone doing a global product tour, showcasing a dozen toy robots. Actually, it looks more like what someone who has never done a product or toy tour imagining what one looks like.
Flashback: Zoolook (November, 1984)
And that's all till next week. Dedicated 80s-philes can find more flashbacks in the Prophet or Madman archives or via Bookended's 80s Flashback tag. As always, your comments are welcome on today's, or any other, flashback post. And if you like what I'm doing here, please share the link with your friends. If, however, you don't like the flashback, feel free to share it with your enemies.
I'll see you in seven!
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