M83's Anthony Gonzalez is back with Hurry Up, We're Dreaming, a delightful synth pop gem, spanning more sounds and moods than any of M83's previous work, resulting in a collection of impressionistic moments rather than a grand statement. My first impressions of it were somewhat blase, a bit too heavy handedly ripping off the 80s, particularly Men At Work, but upon subsequent listenings, I found it to be an album channeling our inner child, trying to tap our psyche and get us to feel both exaltation and melancholia, focusing us on memories of when we were young and felt optimism towards the world and that anything was possible. Surprising to me, I read that this album was heavily influenced by Smashing Pumpkin's Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness! We still hear the familiar vocal stylings that Gonzalez sings and Zola Jesus' Nika Rosa Danilova sings on the opening track, "Intro". He also takes us through tender piano, slap bass, sax solos (so Clarence Clemens!), and children's choir. Somehow it works across this double album because it is polished and it is clear that Gonzalez has honed in the sounds he has already given us and he has settled into a clear artistic vision.
More than any of M83's other albums, Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming feels like a destination to explore; while it may not be quite as striking as Saturdays = Youth, it delivers a welcome mix of classic sounds and promising changes.
Listen to"Raconte-Moi Une Histoire", or tell me a story, about a magical frog. Some might consider this a throwaway, but I am fascinated with songs that turn the absurd into a delight.
Buy your copy of Hurry Up, We're Dreaming here.
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