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M83 (a.k.a. Frenchman Anthony Gonzalez) has crafted cold anthems from stacked synthesizer swells and pulsating beats that harken back to the '80s on his first four albums, and that trend continues on Saturdays=Youth, released Tuesday on Mute Records. But as its title implies, this album takes Gonzalez's nostalgia in a warmer direction. The 26-year-old writes in the liner notes that the album is dedicated "to all the friends, music, movies, joints, and crazy teachers that made my teenage years so great!"
In at least one case, you can hear how Gonzalez sees his teenage years. Listening to "Graveyard Girl" on MySpace might bring yours back too, assuming you were an aural acquaintance of The Cocteau Twins, New Order, My Bloody Valentine and The Cure.
Another song from Saturdays=Youth from the band's MySpace page, "Couleurs," highlights more of the Cocteau Twins' dreamlike influence, partially due to production contributions by Ewan Pearson, who also produced the Cocteaus.
I agree with Pitchfork's assertion that "the change in M83's sound arrives just as Gonzalez has pushed the maximal thing to its limits and risks diminishing returns." M83's sound has unwound, allowing welcome fresh air into the songs. They're less hectic, but might be more beautiful.
Between M83, Radiohead and Apple all going for a warmer sound, a trend could be in the making here.
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Tour dates:
19 Apr 2008 - Camden Crawl - London
25 Apr 2008 - Andrews Lane Theater - Dublin
28 Apr 2008 - Cargo - London
29 Apr 2008 - Maroquinerie - Paris
2 May 2008 - L.E.V Festival - Gijon
3 May 2008 - Ancienne Belgique - Brussels
20 May 2008 - Echoplex - Los Angeles, California
21 May 2008 - Great American Music Hall - San Francisco, California
23 May 2008 - Doug Fir Lounge - Portland, Oregon
24 May 2008 - Richards on Richards - Vancouver
25 May 2008 - Neumos - Seattle
28 May 2008 - Triple Rock Club - Minneapolis
29 May 2008 - Empty Bottle - Chicago, Illinois
30 May 2008 - The Mod Club - Toronto
31 May 2008 - Cabaret Music Hall - Quebec
2 Jun 2008 - Middle East Downstairs - Cambridge, Massachusetts
3 Jun 2008 - Music Hall of Williamsburg - Brooklyn, New York
4 Jun 2008 - Bowery Ballroom - New York
6 Jun 2008 - First Unitarian Church - Philadelphia
7 Jun 2008 - Black Cat - Washington
