Today my favourite album of 2011 is released (I cheated and downloaded it when it leaked - simply because I was impatient, but of course I immediately pre-ordered a CD copy). M83 has a big name for himself as one of the current pioneers in electronic music, although hardly anyone I know has even heard of him, which is why I'm posting this, as more people deserve to know about his music.
It took a few listens to really get into it this staggeringly epic double disc album - it's totally different in sound to virtually anything out there - but once I did I was thoroughly addicted. I mean, I've listened to it at least once a day for the past 6 weeks. M83, named after a distant galaxy, is the pseudonym of talented young French artist Anthony Gonzalez. The sound he's developed here is kind of a mix of 80s synthpop (with just enough of an alternative take to make it interesting), Vangelis/Jean Michel Jarre-esque electronic soundscapes (mainly in the form of several 1-2 minute interludes between the 'main' tracks), the slightly alien orchestral grandeur of Sigur Ros, with a dash of Cocteau Twins and maybe even Enigma (certainly Michael Cretu's early 80's gem 'Legionnaire'). It's extremely creative, fresh, original, fun and...epic. It's a dreamy kind of album, because it is essentially about dreams - specifically the dreams of the two young kids on the album cover. Apparently one disc is the brother's dreams and reflections on life, hope and ambition and the other disc is the sister's.
Anyway, you can listen to the entire album online - http://www.urbanoutfitters.co.uk/page/m83
Was gonna post my favourite tracks, but I see most of them have been taken down from youtube. Only three, but the first two are certainly among my favourites and the third is an example of the ambient interludes that link the album.
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