"Eat. My. Shorts."
"You just bought yourself another Saturday" - The Breakfast Club. It's 1985 and there's a room full of teen angst set to a background of Simple Minds and Tears For Fears. But on someone's Walkman, The Cocteau Twins are playing. This is M83 from Antibes and their album nouvelle Saturdays = Youth. Produced by singer Anthony Gonzalez with Ewan Pearson (read my earlier post here) and Ken Thomas (producer of Sigur Ros, Suede, Sugarcubes and even Alien Sex Fiend way back) the album is steeped in the late 80s. Apparently, this was part of the plan, Anthony explains: "That’s when I discovered music and started to take drugs and party with my friends."
It stands to reason that the late 80s are the next to be mined for sounds and influences - I guarantee a revival of big shoulders, hair and fancy fabric - but to equate it with M83's album would only trivialise it. This is an epic record with huge ambitions. The slabs of keyboard chords, fluffy drums and Morgan Kibby's vocals melting with Gonzalez's evoke an era but also sound like tomorrow. Amazing.
Kim & Jessie - M83 (zShare)
We Own the Sky - M83 (zShare)
2 comments:
Y'know, I've been a little bit 'meh' on M83 (even though "0078h" on Dead Cities, Red Seas, & Lost Ghosts is bloody amazing). I feel like M83 - and to a greater extent Ulrich Schnauss - was borderline easy listening or new age for the new millennium. I mean, it's all of these washes of pretty sound but it all feels so soft and non-threatening and fluffy and not tangible. Having said that, this one could grow on me. The vocals help. A lot.
I adore these two tracks. Kim & Jessie is vying for the top spot of my songs of the year. I love it that much!
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