“For me, the imaginary world is so much more powerful than real life,
and I don’t really want to be bothered by real life.” – Anthony Gonzalez
Dream-Pop/Shoegaze champion, M83, returns to the ring with Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming, their 6th album (Mute Records). Frenchman frontman Anthony Gonzalez has built this double-album not for the consumer or the radio, but for the listener. This is an album for coming down or coming up, a pre- or post-gamer owing as much of it’s inspiration to Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, and by extension The Wall, as it does to The Killers and Depeche Mode. But as he says himself, although a record for the home, it’s hardly homemade.
“I feel like an old guy saying this, but nowadays everything is made in a bedroom on a computer. I’m not denying that it’s a great time for music — and I listen to and enjoy tons of homemade music — but I need to go in a studio and work with musicians. Once you start making albums in a studio, you can’t stop doing it that that way. I feel lucky to have the budget to be able to do it.”
And so he does, and is. Gonzalez has always been known for surrounding himself with talented producers and musicians. His last LP, Saturdays=Youth, was headed by legendary producer/engineer Ken Thomas (who’s worked with David Bowie, Queen, Modern English, and The Cocteau Twins, to name a few). This one goes to Justin Meldal-Johnson, who shares creative direction with Beck. Morgan Kibby, sometimes-keyboardist/vocalist for M83, has a Toronto Independent Music Award for Best USA Band (The Romanovs). Vocalist Nika Roza Danilova of Zola Jesus has been named by Pitchfork as one of the vocalists to look out for in 2011-2012, and her piece with Gonzalez on Intro shows why.
The best thing about Hurry Up is Gonzalez’s newfound authority on the microphone. Gone (but not entirely) are the low murmurs and weak-pitched shoegaze trademarks, replaced by solid wails and even (gasp!) actual singing. Gonzalez elaborates:
“I really tried to experiment a lot with my vocals on this album. Playing with Depeche Mode and the Killers, I realized I needed to be more confident about myself. I don’t want to have any regrets in 20 years for being shy in front of the microphone.”
It appears to be working. Many claim their Hurry Up to be their best work yet. M83, and their support on the North American leg of their tour, Active Child, have even had their booking at The Social upped to The Beacham due to heavy demand! The show is Wednesday, November 2nd. Be there people! Be sure to check out their brand new video for the album’s first big single, Midnight City, below!
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