M83

M83 really are a wonderful light show and a loud, loud, band. Given that tonight’s show is their last in their European tour, it’s great to see Anthony Gonzales's band let their hair down.

As the main remaining M83 writer, Gonzales starts by thanking the audience for letting M83 “play at this volume”. This is followed by a surprising revisit of 2005's ‘Teen Angst’. As it moves into ‘Reunion’ the more eccentric sides of the band come out. With their effected vocal harmonies, the flanged sound has warped qualities akin to Animal Collective. Indeed, if Animal Collective had signed with Virgin instead of Domino, they may have sounded like this against their will, so it’s great that M83 are willingly making slick pop and doing it brilliantly.

There’s a gamut of visits to Saturday = Youth, with ‘We Own The Sky’ that perfect transition point from the debut to Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming. The intensity of sound swirls through the venue majestically as the volume rises. There's no ‘Run Into Flowers’ from Dead Cities Red Seas & Lost Ghosts, but ‘My Tears Are Becoming A Sea’ in some way makes up for this with its epic keyboards as it points back to the band’s subconscious role in spreading (what is now termed) dubstep (it’s just half time drums on an electronic kit, isn’t it (?). ‘Graveyard Girl’ flows like electronic poetry and whilst the omissions of ‘Kim & Jessie’ and anything off their debut are sad losses ‘Midnight City’ more than makes up for it with its pop purity.

‘Sitting’ and ‘A Guitar And A Heart’ from Before The Dawn Heals Us also provide great moments, especially the extended cowbell solo provided by the guitarist in ‘Sitting’, which is reprised to end the encore in ‘Coleurs’. As Anthony states, this has been a journey for them and one he is thankful for. It’s evident from the atmosphere that as the lights continue to flash and the cowbell donks to the very end, Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming really has provided many people with a journey to remember.