M83’s Anthony Gonzalez sees everything in widescreen – life is a cinematic experience, and love and melancholy are just part of the script. Thankfully the French musician also has a knack for transferring his unique vision in an audio format. And with Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming, we probably have his most expansive vision yet – and not just in length.
There is plenty of epic here, akin to Before the Dawn Heals Us, but also a healthy dose of heart-shaped, 80s pop, much like previous record Saturdays=Youth. When thrown together, they create a whole new level of discovery – creating a sense of movement, dreams, 80s, guitars, Jarre, bliss, My Bloody Valentine, synths, electronics and worthy indulgence.
Take Midnight City, a song that has big, humming synth lines and the signature drum roll intro to a world of gazing guitars – yet drops for fairly quiet verses of retro, chart pop with a sheen of M83 cool. It’s as if the M83 worlds have collided for a colourful explosion of electronic pop and filmic backing. Even the sax solo takes it up a couple of notches.
More revelations come in the shape of the acoustic balled that is Wait. Here Gonzalez gently daydreams atop strumming guitars and forever-building strings. With such ingredients it could have Chris Martin frothing at the mouth with its emotive nature. Yet Gonzalez takes it to a floating dreamscape, where words are lost in reverb and the string sounds are as much part of the song, rather than a cheap device to draw the tears.
The 80s is always present to offer a helping hand in the pop stakes, from the slapping bass styled Claudia Lewis, to the Simple Minds’ full force guitars on Reunion. Gonzalez has never sounded so confident with his vocals, and uses them all over the record. On the electro Funk that is OK Pal he wails with high-end intensity. While on Soon, My Friend he calls in harmonious tones to almost choral proportions. And there is still ample room for the cinematic sequences – just check the awesome power within This Bright Flash.
Double albums, more often than not, are a self-indulgent waste of space – yet Gonzalez found inspiration on those that have worked (The Smashing Pumpkins’ Mellon Collie and Infinite Sadness and The Beatles’ White Album). And from such inspiration he has made one of the best double albums we’ve heard for a very long time, and his finest record to date.
-William Bell-
