M83

A letter and a number make up the name of this band that touches upon all genres, from electronic to pop, to ambient. M83's distinct sound emerged after just one album: both modern and melancholic. The group makes machines seem human by endowing them with a mysterious and innocent character, one that mirrors the personality of, Anthony Gonzalez with the help of friend, Nicolas Fromageau. In 2000, at the tender age of twenty, these two boys from Antibes, France, decided to lift their eyes from their guitars and turn their gaze towards the stars (the band's name is that of a distant galaxy), via ambitious inter-galactic compositions influenced by Tangerine Dream and Mogwai. Their first eight-track was a homespun affair, and the boys passed around a few demos. In early 2001, their first album, bearing the same name as their group, was released by the cutting-edge and demanding Gooom label. The album was designed to create a whole, from the song transitions to the song titles which, when placed side by side, form a sentence; from the overall rhythm that gently crescendos to the final culmination, I'm happy she said." The aptly named "ghost tracks" and their phantom melodies also form part of this whole. When listening to this first opus, one inevitably thinks of the coherence created in My Bloody Valentine's album, Loveless or, more generally, of albums that flow effortlessly, transporting listeners to a new universe. Produced without the benefit of any outside assistance or the legitimization of a famous producer, the album is not directly affiliated with any scene: it's an extra-terrestrial phenomenon that arouses curiosity and astonishment. Critics emphasize the album's graceful and nuanced melodies and the cinematographic quality of the dialogues, as well as the band's ability to make synthesizers sound like guitars. In the months following their first release, M83 took part in the Aquaplanning and Route du Rock 2001 festivals, where Anthony and Nicolas transposed the magic of their studio recordings onto the stage. Their 'coming out' was greeted with enthusiasm. The words "musical revelation" even crossed a few lips -- but the boys simply bowed their heads, smiling: they were still a bit young for that. Over the following months, Anthony and Nicolas played concert after concert, and their popularity continued to grow, culminating in a slot at the prestigious Sonar festival in Barcelona. Parallel to this achievement, M83 positioned itself to touch a larger audience, with the signing of a licensing contract with Gooom's Labels division. The boys recorded a new track in spring to enhance the re-release of their first album in the autumn of 2002. Back in Antibes, the summer of 2002 was spent composing M83's second album: a time-consuming but productive activity, resulting in twelve new tracks. Recording took place in autumn, on their home turf, with the assistance of Nicolas Barlet, the band's designated sound engineer, and Morgan Daguenet (Mils, Bertuf), names that aficionados of the Gooom label are familiar with. Friends of the band also joined the party: Cyann, of Cyann & Ben (whose first album was also released by Gooom), can be heard singing on three tracks, while Villeneuve and his two favorite singers, Mélanie and Suzanne, also join in on a few songs. Finally, Canadian singer Montag, also with Gooom (apparently, they like to keep things in the family!), composed the string arrangements on two of the pieces. The resulting album is more ambitious than its predecessor, complex yet accessible thanks to its melodic effectiveness, as heard in the super-powerful "America" and the dreamlike "Beauties can die," with its virtual chorale sounding an endless final note. Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts (such is the name chosen for this album) possesses a more assertive sound, going beyond the band's first album. Anthony and Nicolas have raised the bar -- without foregoing their exceptional sense of melody or losing their ability to communicate sound in a fresh new way -- generating complexity by alternating slow tracks and faster ones. With two years of expertise under their belts, the pair is creating more daring compositions. Having freed themselves of outside influences, their musical personality is now turned towards the future. While some critics may still occasionally evoke Boards of Canada or My Bloody Valentine, most discuss M83 and the band's two musicians, artists who are in complete control of the technical tools of their era and seek to create timeless melodies that exude universal emotions. Let yourself be swept away: resistance is futile.