Ever felt overwhelmed by an artist’s extensive back catalog? Been meaning to check out a band, but you just don’t know where to begin? In 10 Songs is here to help, offering a crash course and entry point into the daunting discographies of iconic artists of all genres. This is your first step toward fandom. Take it.
This week marks the release of Junk, M83’s seventh studio album and first in five years, marking the longest span of time between releases throughout their illustrious career. While by no means an unrecognized, low-profile group in the 2000s, it wasn’t until 2011’s Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming, their grand, ambitious masterpiece, that M83 emerged as one of the genre’s biggest forces, a rising electronic-rock band that went from opening tours for Depeche Mode and The Killers to playing pavilions and prime festival slots on their own accord. After five years marked by touring and detours into film scores, M83 is ready to emerge with an attempt to follow up the success of their biggest statement to date.
The vision of French musician Anthony Gonzalez, M83 has gone through various phases, beginning with a raw approach that steadily evolved into a more ambient-focused, electronic-driven project before fully growing into its own as a band focused on crafting cinematic grandeur. In a decade where many contemporaries were focusing on minimalism, M83 always had stadium-sized aspirations, making no qualms about crafting huge, overwrought moments in their music.
While seven albums across 15 years may not seem like much, M83’s catalog yields a surprising amount of diversity for a group whose music so vividly recalls visions of teenage angst and movie-ready dramatic climaxes. Gonzalez has shown remarkable growth and maturity over his long career, but he is still able to tap into that childlike sense of wonder and adolescence where every crossroads feels like a life-or-death decision. Indebted to the stylings of the ‘80s, Gonzalez has worked tirelessly to breathe new life into a brand of music often presumed as dated, tapping into and updating those underlying elements without relying too heavily on nostalgia.
M83’s work has many sides to it, and the first two singles from Junk show that you never know which you’ll get until you press play. As the mystery is about to subside on which M83 shows up on Junk, we’ve taken a look back at some of the most important touchpoints throughout their career, showcasing both the long journey that’s taken them to this point as well as highlighting the many styles they have excelled at. Whether you showed up for “Midnight City” or are still holding out for Digital Shades Vol. 2, M83 has a vast, diverse collection of material ready to be explored.
–David Sackllah
Staff Writer
Hello, World
“Run Into Flowers” from Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts (2003)
“Give me peace and chemicals/ I want to run into flowers.” These words are the only ones uttered on the Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts single. Given that the track is one of M83’s more primitive efforts, simple lyrics are fitting. Perfectly fusing shoegaze and electronic elements, “Run into Flowers” is one of the first indications of the identity M83 carries to this day. Upon release, listeners and critics were floored by the band’s evocative powers, consequently garnering them comparisons to My Morning Jacket and Godspeed You! Black Emperor. Most importantly, “Run into Flowers” served as a jumping-off point for M83’s gradually increasing success; but it was also the first time they put their work into other producers’ hands. The Run into Flowers EP laid the groundwork for the Reunion EP and all the other lush remixes created by and for M83. –Danielle Janota
High-Octane Thrills
“Don’t Save Us From The Flames” from Before The Dawn Heals Us (2005)
M83 didn’t truly come into their own until 2005’s Before the Dawn Heals Us. The first album after the departure of founding member Nicolas Fromageau was where Gonzalez took full creative control of the project and pushed it towards the style most associated with the band today. Pre-”Midnight City” M83’s most thrilling, recognizable track arose from this on “Don’t Save Us from the Flames”, which opens right out of the gate with an electrifying synth-line and soaring choral vocals, intense and sharply focused. Lyrically, it fits in well with Gonzalez’s go-to themes of desperation, destruction, and reaching out for someone as the world seems to be falling apart. What makes M83 so remarkable is the talent with which Gonzalez sells those ideas, taking sci-fi elements that could have easily been cheesy but invigorating them with such charge that you can’t help but get swept up. When Gonzalez commits, he goes all in, and the results for everyone involved are the better for it. –David Sackllah
The Ambient Side
“The Highest Journey” from Digital Shades Vol. 1 (2007)
For an artist with a penchant for bombast, it’s easy to forget how much of Gonzalez’s repertoire is built off of muted, atmospheric work. While it may not be a significant portion of the live act, the quieter, ambient moments are as essential to their discography as the danceable ones. With the more instrumental parts of Dead Cities, Red Seas, & Lost Ghosts and key elements of Saturdays=Youth and Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming, M83 has always focused on ambience. This was most apparent on 2007’s Digital Shades Vol. 1, arguably the most overlooked album in their discography. A winding, involving work, the low-key effort was meant to be the first in a series but ended up being a one-off, a brief interlude between more dramatic records. The record contains textured, serene elements throughout, concluding with its grand finale in the eight-minute “The Highest Journey”. While understated, the song slowly builds up to a thrilling climax that recaptures M83’s knack for breathtaking moments. Even when Gonzalez indulges his contemplative side, he knows how to craft sweeping drama and tension out of it. –David Sackllah
“One More Song!”
“Couleurs” from Saturdays=Youth (2008)
Powerful, dynamic, and lengthy, “Couleurs” was chosen as the live encore in 2011/12 for a reason. Clocking in at 8:37, the ambitious acid-washed track builds slowly, but surely, capturing the essence of what makes M83 so exemplary as a band and live show. Stirring up life-affirming emotions is no easy feat, especially when relying so heavily on ’80s elements, which run the risk of sounding dated and cheesy in the current electronic climate. But Gonzalez handles these risks with grace. By juxtaposing anxious ’80s synths with serene backing vocals, he creates a breadth of emotion so many producers and composers strive to find. That said, not only was “Couleurs” one of the best singles from Saturdays=Youth, but it’s one of several pivotal songs that prophesied Gonzalez’s future in film scoring. –Danielle Janota
The John Hughes Tribute
“Kim & Jessie” from Saturdays=Youth (2008)
The third single off Saturdays=Youth is where we really get a glimpse at Gonzalez’s genius. By headphone or speaker, “Kim & Jessie” paints the simple picture of two young lovebirds (rightfully so). The track was, and still is, considered one of M83’s most upbeat, framing the fifth studio album as a more romantic effort than preceding and forthcoming works. By music video, though, a darker picture is painted. In an obvious nod to John Hughes, we follow two adolescent, rollerskating girlfriends playing in their “secret world” full of longing, sexual tension, and dark undertones. Even more triumphant than the song itself, though, is how simply and melodically it was produced. Up until that point, Gonzalez and crew were largely known for spacious and ambient works. “Kim & Jessie” allowed them to showcase a more relatable side that set the stage for more vocally friendly tracks on Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming. –Danielle Janota
