death of Mao Zedong. Critical reception Contemporary reception of the album was generally positive. Cashbox wrote that Magnetic Fields "is Jarre's most subtle work yet, being a bit busier than Oxygene and more textural than Equinoxe". In Smash Hits, Johnny Black stated that the album "proves more energetic than either of its two mega-selling predecessors. It is, arguably, wallpaper music, but his creative use of Latin and African rhythms ... moves it all up a notch." Simon Tebbutt of Record Mirror described the album as "nullifying, stultifying and ultimately BORING". In an AllMusic retrospective review, writer John Bush commented that: "It's often just as melodic and inventive as Oxygene, though not as consistently creative." Track listing Charts Weekly charts Year-end charts Certifications and sales References Bibliography 1981 albums Jean-Michel Jarre albums Electronic albums by French artists Synth-pop albums by French artists