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M83 (band)

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M83
M83 at Boston's Blue Hills Bank Pavilion 2016
M83 at Boston's Blue Hills Bank Pavilion 2016
Background information
OriginAntibes,France
Genres
Years active1999–present
Labels
Members
  • Anthony Gonzalez
  • Loïc Maurin
  • Kaela Sinclair[7]
  • Joe Berry[8]
Past members
  • Jordan Lawlor
  • Morgan Kibby
  • Nicolas Fromageau
  • Pierre-Marie Maulini
Websiteilovem83.com

M83(French pronunciation:[ɛmkatʁvɛ̃tʁwa]) are a Frenchelectronic musicgroup formed inAntibesin 1999. Initially the duo of multi-instrumentalists Nicolas Fromageau and Anthony Gonzalez, Fromageau parted ways shortly after touring for their second albumDead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts.[9]Gonzalez remains the sole constant member of the project, as the primary songwriter and lead vocalist.[A]

The band has released nine studio albums, including theGrammy Award-nominatedHurry Up, We're Dreaming,in addition to two soundtracks. Gonzalez records primarily on his own, with numerous guest musicians. The band is signed toMute Recordsand found breakout success in 2011 with "Midnight City",Hurry Up, We're Dreaming'slead single.Their sound has been described asdream pop,new wave,shoegaze,as well asambient.[12]

Early life[edit]

Anthony Gerard Gonzalez (born 13 March 1980)[13][14][15]grew up in Antibes, France, together with his brotherYann.[16]His family had a great interest in football and Gonzalez had trials withAS Cannes,[17]while his maternal grandfather is the French internationalLaurent Robuschi.[16][17]At the age of 14 he was injured, and turned to music instead when his parents bought him a guitar.[16]He developed his interest in music and American culture at secondary school.[18]With Fromageau, he formed a post-rock group called My Violent Wish.[18]

Career[edit]

2001–2005: First recordings[edit]

A photograph of the Messier 83 galaxy taken by Hubble telescope.
The M83 galaxy, the band's namesake.

At 17, Gonzalez bought a synth to record a demo, which he sent to a number of French labels. When Paris-basedGooom Recordsseemed interested, he recruited Nicolas Fromageau to "help me because I didn't feel like I had the shoulders to carry the project on my own".[18]They decided to name their band M83, after thegalaxy of that name.[13]

In spring 2001, while Gonzalez was still in college, M83 released itsself-titled debut albumrecorded on an8-track.[18]It did not attract much attention outside Europe until September 2005, whenMute Recordsreissued it for worldwide release. M83's second album,Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts,followed in spring 2003 (summer 2004 in North America) to widespread critical acclaim.[19]After worldwide touring forDead Citiesresumed, Fromageau left the band; he later formed the bandTeam Ghostin 2009.

Gonzalez returned to the studio to record the group's third studio album,Before the Dawn Heals Us,released in January 2005.[20]In 2016, the song "Lower Your Eyelids to Die with the Sun" was featured in the trailer for the filmA Monster Callsstarring Felicity Jones and Sigourney Weaver. Later in 2005, M83 provided a remix of "The Pioneers" byBloc Party,which was also included on Bloc Party's remix albumSilent Alarm Remixed.M83 also remixedPlacebo's "Protège-Moi",Goldfrapp's "Black Cherry",Depeche Mode's "Suffer Well",Van She's "Kelly", andThe Bumblebeez's "Vila Attack". Similarly, M83's songs have been remixed by Gooom labelmatesMontagandCyann & Ben.

2006–2009:Digital Shades Vol. 1andSaturdays = Youth[edit]

Maulini and Gonzalez from M83 performing at the Pully For Noise festival in 2008

In 2006, after theBefore the Dawn Heals UsUS tour, Anthony Gonzalez continued to explore a musical direction already heard on earlier M83 tracks and began writing and recording a collection of ambient works.[21]The album was recorded primarily at his home studio with the assistance of Antoine Gaillet. The resulting project was calledDigital Shades Vol. 1,and was released in September 2007 with a sleeve illustrated by Laurent Fetis (known for his work withDJ Hell,Beck,andTahiti 80). It is intended to be part of an ongoing series of ambient works.

Saturdays = Youth,M83's fifth studio album, was released in April 2008. It was recorded with Ken Thomas (known for his work withSigur Rós,The Sugarcubes,Boys in a Band,Cocteau Twins,andSuede),Ewan Pearson(who has also produced forTracey Thorn,The RaptureandLadytron) andMorgan Kibby(ofThe Romanovs). The album features a more focused approach to song structure and form, and Gonzalez stated that the main influence of the album came from music of the 1980s: "I think that '80s music is such a brilliant period for music history. It was the occasion for me to do a tribute to this '80s music, but [it was] also a tribute to my teenage years because the main theme of the album is being a teenager, and being a teenager means a lot to me."[22]Four singles were released from the album: "Couleurs" in February 2008, "Graveyard Girl"in April,"Kim & Jessie"in July, and" We Own the Sky "in December.Redbulland SnowboarderTravis Riceused "We Own the Sky" as the opening song in the 2008 snowboard filmThat's It That's All.[23]M83 also appeared on a limited edition split 7-inch single withMapsin 2008; M83 remixed Maps' "To the Sky", while Maps provided a remix of M83's "We Own the Sky".[24]

In December 2008, M83 supportedKings of Leonon its UK tour.[25]In January and February 2009, M83 supportedThe Killersacross United States tour dates[26]and toured withDepeche Modeon itsTour of the Universein Italy, Germany, and France.[27][28]In July, M83 appeared at theFuji Rock Festivalin Japan.[29]In July 2009, M83 appeared at the Wexner Center in Columbus, Ohio. Gonzalez, unprovoked, physically assaulted an elderly security guard when Gonzalez attempted to have members of the crowd join him on an unreinforced stage platform. The band later apologized to its fans for the incident. In 2010, on the eve of turning 30, Gonzalez moved to Los Angeles.[13][30]

2010–2015:Hurry Up, We're Dreaming,Oblivionand commercial success[edit]

In Spring 2010, M83 composed the score of French director Gilles Marchand's filmBlack Heaven.On 5 July 2010, theBlack HeavenSoundtrack was released, which included two new songs by M83 called "Black Hole" and "Marion's Theme", along with five tracks from his back catalog. The soundtrack also includes songs from the score by Emmanuel D'Orlando, Moon Dailly and John & Jehn. However, his feelings towards the record were largely negative, leaving him depressed.[31]

In 2011, Gonzalez started working on a new batch of songs for an album slated for release later in the year. He described the tracks as darker and "very, very, very epic". Speaking withSpin,he said of the new album "It's a double album. It's mainly about dreams, how every one is different, how you dream differently when you're a kid, a teenager, or an adult. I'm really proud of it. If you're doing a very long album, all the songs need to be different and I think I've done that with this one."[32]He recorded again with Morgan Kibby as well as others, includingMedicine's mastermindBrad Laner,Nine Inch NailsbassistJustin Meldal-JohnsenandZola Jesus.[31]

Hurry Up, We're Dreamingis Gonzalez's first double album, something he had dreamed of making ever since hearingThe Smashing Pumpkins'Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness."I wanted to make a very eclectic album but also something not too long. Making a double album was a dream of mine for a long, long time and I felt ready to make this move," he explains. Discussing the sound and process of creating this album, Gonzalez says it was "written like a soundtrack to an imaginary movie with different ambiances, different atmospheres, different tempos, different orchestrations and different instrumentation.... When I make an album it's always about nostalgia, melancholy in the past and memories."[33]

On 19 July 2011, the breakthrough single "Midnight City",[18]the first fromHurry Up, We're Dreaming,was released for streaming and free download on the band's official website.[34]Beginning in October, they toured North America and Europe to promote the album;Active Childsupported the US leg of the tour.[35]The album placed 3rd inPitchfork's Top 50 Albums of 2011 list;[36]the single "Midnight City" was placed 1st on the Top 100 Tracks list.[37]On 26 January 2012, M83 came in at number 5 on the Triple J Hottest 100 with the single "Midnight City". The track received further exposure in 2013 as the remixed soundtrack to the Gucci Premier fragrance television advert featuringBlake Lively.[38]It was also used in the 2013 filmWarm Bodies.

On 28 June 2012, it was announced that M83 would compose the soundtrack for the 2013 movieOblivion,directed byJoseph Kosinskiand starringTom Cruise.[39]The score was co-written withJoseph Trapanese.The soundtrack album was released on 9 April 2013 by Back Lot Music featuringSusanne Sundforon vocals.[40]On 26 February 2014, a new song titled "I Need You" was included on theDivergentsoundtrack.[41]The song "Wait" was featured in the 2014 filmThe Fault in our Stars.It was also featured in the "Perception" episode ofRevengein 2012, "The Backup Dan" episode ofGossip Girlin 2012, "Imperfect Circles" episode ofUnder the Domein 2013 and "The World Has Turned and Left Me Here" episode ofThe Vampire Diariesin 2014. More recently, "Wait" was used as part of the documentary "The Day We Walked On The Moon" commemorating the 50th anniversary of the first Moon landing and screened in the UK by ITV in July 2019 and in the same year, in a feature film titledFive Feet Apart.Also fromHurry Up, We're Dreaming,two tracks, "Another Wave from You" and "Outro",featured in the 2014 remake ofThe Gambler.In 2015 and 2016, British-Franco-Canadian dramaVersailles,uses "Outro" as the theme title. "Outro" was also featured in the popular snowboarding documentaryThe Art of Flight,in the reveal trailer for the games "Paragon"and"Kerbal Space Program 2",in a Mazda commercial entitled" Feel Alive "in 2018,[42]and as the final song in the finale of both theUSA NetworksTV showMr. RobotandFoxTV showEnlisted.Moonchild was featured in Top Gear's McLaren Mercedes SLR Oslo challenge. The Italian-French filmSuburrafrom 2015 features music by M83 extensively.

In August 2014, the first three albums produced by the band were re-released by Mute Records with additional material available separately for download. Gonzalez justified the reissues by noting that physical copies of the albums were hard to find and sold for "a ridiculous amount of money".[18]On 2 March 2015, M83, with indie pop groupHaim,released the song "Holes in the Sky" fromThe Divergent Series: Insurgentsoundtrack.[43]He also participated inJean-Michel Jarre's albumElectronica 1: The Time Machine.

2016–present:Junk,Volta,Tour,DSVII,andFantasy[edit]

On 1 March 2016, M83's seventh studio albumJunkwas announced along with its lead single, "Do It, Try It".[44]The album was released on 8 April 2016.[45]The band then embarked on a tour across North America and Europe during the first half of 2016.[46]On 5 December 2016, it was announced that Gonzalez of M83 would be the composer and musical director forCirque du Soleil's touring show,Volta.[47][48]

In July 2019, Gonzalez announced M83's eighth studio album,DSVII(standing forDigital Shades, Vol. II). It was released on 20 September 2019.[49]In December 2021, Gonzalez announced a re-release ofHurry Up We're Dreamingfor its 10th anniversary.[50]On 10 January 2023, M83 released the single "Oceans Niagara", and released their ninth studio album,Fantasy,on 17 March 2023. A tour of North America in support of the album followed.[51]

Style[edit]

The band's aesthetic is characterized by dense guitar and synthesizer layering, extensive use of reverb effects, and lyrics often sung softly in adream popstyle. Gonzalez has been inspired by cultural and musical facets of the 1980s, and his songs have been described as "adult-scripted teen dreams".[18]Inspiration for his music includes bands such asMy Bloody Valentine,Smashing Pumpkins,Depeche Mode,Jean-Michel Jarre,andTangerine Dream.

Members[edit]

Timeline[edit]

Discography[edit]

Main article:M83 discography

Awards and nominations[edit]

Year Awards Work Category Result
2005 PLUG Awards Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts Electronic/Dance Album Of The Year Nominated
2006 Before the Dawn Heals Us Won
2008 Rober Awards Music Prize Themselves Best European Artist[52] Won
2011 "Midnight City" Best Music Video[53] Nominated
2012 UK Music Video Awards Best Alternative Video – International Nominated
2013 "Wait" Nominated
Grammy Awards Hurry Up, We're Dreaming Best Alternative Music Album Nominated
2016 Sweden GAFFA Awards Themselves Best International Group Won
2022 UK Music Video Awards "My Tears Are Becoming a Sea" Best Color Grading in a Video[54] Nominated

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^While primarily a solo project by Anthony Gonzalez, the liner notes ofSaturdays = Youth(2008) credit Loïc Maurin andMorgan Kibbyas being part of M83.[10]Gonzalez has also stated: "For me, M83 is more of a collective than a solo project."[11]

References[edit]

  1. ^Hyden, Steven (17 October 2011)."Today in music videos: M83 gets creepy with telekinetic kids in" Midnight City "".The A.V. Club.Retrieved7 August2012.
  2. ^Cubarrubia, RJ (10 April 2013)."M83, 'Oblivion' Director Explain Concept Behind Film's Music".Rolling Stone.Retrieved4 September2013.
  3. ^"M83 Heralds Ambitious New Album with 'Midnight City'".Rolling Stone.19 July 2011. Archived fromthe originalon 22 June 2018.Retrieved4 September2013.
  4. ^"M83".The A.V. Club.26 April 2012. Archived fromthe originalon 29 May 2012.Retrieved4 September2013.
  5. ^Orzeck, Kurt (4 September 2007)."Every Time I Die Try To Slay Chiodos And Megadeth, InNew Releases".MTV News.Archived fromthe originalon 9 February 2012.Retrieved4 September2013.
  6. ^"Before Dawn, After Midnight: M83 in 10 Songs".Consequence of Sound.5 April 2016.Retrieved30 May2020.
  7. ^"M83 Announce Results of Search for New Member".pitchfork.com.4 March 2018.Retrieved2 October2020.
  8. ^"Moog Synthesizer IIIp".YouTube.Archivedfrom the original on 12 December 2021.Retrieved2 October2020.
  9. ^"M83 | Music Biography, Streaming Radio and Discography".AllMusic.Retrieved27 July2015.
  10. ^Saturdays = Youth(liner notes).EMI Music France.2008. 3099952058524.
  11. ^Lindsay, Cam (20 April 2016)."M83 The Memoirist".Exclaim!.Retrieved22 March2018.
  12. ^Phares, Heather."M83".AllMusic.Retrieved12 February2022.
  13. ^abcBainbridge, Luke (10 September 2011)."Anthony Gonzalez aka M83: 'I just turned 30 – it was time to try something I'd remember all my life".The Guardian.Retrieved20 May2016.Eighteen months ago, having finished the acclaimed Saturdays = Youth tour, and approaching his 30th birthday, Gonzalez decided to make an abrupt change, and upped sticks for Los Angeles.
  14. ^Klein, Joshua (18 November 2011)."M83 reviewed at Lincoln Hall".Chicago Tribune.Retrieved20 May2016.
  15. ^"Anthony Gerard Gonzalez director information. Free company director check".Cbetta.com.Retrieved20 May2016.
  16. ^abcKlock, Marie (15 April 2016)."3 questions à la maman d'Anthony Gonzalez (M83)".Brain-magazine.fr.Retrieved20 May2016.
  17. ^abDelcourt, Maxime (10 May 2016)."Je préfère regarder un Lorient-Rennes qu'un Manchester-Liverpool".Sofoot.com(in French).Retrieved20 May2016.
  18. ^abcdefgCohen, Ian (26 August 2014)."Unrecorded Dreams: Anthony Gonzalez on M83's Early Years".pitchfork.com.Pitchfork. Archived fromthe originalon 3 March 2016.Retrieved22 January2015.
  19. ^"Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts reviews at".Metacritic.com.Archived fromthe originalon 10 July 2010.Retrieved29 November2011.
  20. ^Roullier, Ian (12 February 2005)."M83 Before The Dawn Heals Us".SoundXP.com.
  21. ^Raper, Dan."M83: Digital Shades Volume 1 – Reviews".PopMatters.com.Retrieved29 November2011.
  22. ^"M83 interview".Analogue Magazine. 23 October 2008. Archived fromthe originalon 6 October 2011.Retrieved29 November2011.
  23. ^"That's It, That's All Soundtrack".Ridertunes.com.Archived fromthe originalon 18 January 2009.Retrieved17 December2012.
  24. ^"Maps / M83—To The Sky / We Own The Sky at Discogs".Discogs.com.Retrieved29 November2011.
  25. ^"M83 opening for Kings of Leon on U.K. tour – Prefix Magazine".Prefixmag.com.8 October 2008.Retrieved29 November2011.
  26. ^"M83 Killers Tour—antiMUSIC News".Antimusic.com.26 November 2008.Retrieved29 November2011.
  27. ^"M83—Tour of the Universe".Ilovem83.com.3 November 2011. Archived fromthe originalon 21 May 2014.Retrieved29 November2011.
  28. ^"M83 For Depeche Tour—25 March 2009".Clash Music. 25 March 2009.Retrieved29 November2011.
  29. ^[1]Archived14 October 2009 at theWayback Machine
  30. ^Davet, Stéphane (9 March 2012)."Adulé aux Etats-Unis, M83 s'attaque à la France".Le Monde.fr(in French).ISSN1950-6244.Retrieved20 May2016.
  31. ^abDombal, Ryan (22 November 2010)."M83 Talks" Very, Very, Very Epic "New Album | News".Pitchfork.com.Retrieved29 November2011.
  32. ^"M83 Reveal Plans for" Epic "Double Album".Spin.7 June 2011.Retrieved19 July2011.
  33. ^Lindsay, Cam (24 October 2011)."M83's Double Standard".Exclaim.ca.Retrieved27 July2015.
  34. ^Breihan, Tom (19 July 2011)."M83 Announces New Album; Hear New Track".Pitchfork.Retrieved19 July2011.
  35. ^"Active Child to support M83 on USA".M83.10 October 2011. Archived fromthe originalon 22 December 2011.Retrieved20 February2012.
  36. ^"Staff Lists: The Top 50 Albums of 2011".Pitchfork. 15 December 2011. Archived fromthe originalon 4 March 2016.Retrieved31 March2012.
  37. ^"Staff Lists: The Top 100 Tracks of 2011".Pitchfork. 12 December 2011. Archived fromthe originalon 26 September 2013.Retrieved28 September2013.
  38. ^"Gucci Premiere: The Director's Cut featuring Blake lively Music Remix by M83 – Midnight City".YouTube.5 March 2013.Archivedfrom the original on 12 December 2021.Retrieved17 September2014.
  39. ^Jagernauth, Kevin (28 June 2012)."Exclusive: M83 Scoring Joseph Kosinski's Sci-Fi FilmOblivionStarring Tom Cruise ".IndieWire.Retrieved27 May2014.
  40. ^"Oblivion– Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: M83: Amazon.co.uk: MP3 Downloads ".Amazon.co.uk.Retrieved27 May2014.
  41. ^"M83 – I Need You".Indie Shuffle. 27 January 2014.
  42. ^says, Thonas (8 June 2018)."What is the Name of the Song Playing in the Mazda" Feel Alive "Commercial?".Royalsouthmazda.com.Retrieved9 March2019.
  43. ^"M83 and HAIM join forces on" Holes in the Sky "".Consequence Of Sound. 2 March 2015.
  44. ^"M83 reveals new album 'JUNK' for April 2016".Never Enough Notes.Archived fromthe originalon 7 May 2016.Retrieved1 March2016.
  45. ^"M83 New Album Junk Announced, Listen to New Single" Do It, Try It "".Pitchfork.com.Archived fromthe originalon 24 November 2016.Retrieved20 May2016.
  46. ^"M83 announces initial tour dates for 2016".Consequence.net.12 January 2016.Retrieved29 December2016.
  47. ^"M83 Announces Cirque du Soleil Collaboration".Pitchfork.com.5 December 2016.Retrieved30 December2016.
  48. ^"Anthony Gonzalez on Instagram:" "Ultimately, it's challenges like this that I find so inspiring and drive me to make the music that I do." - Cirque du Soleil announce… "".Instagram.com.Retrieved9 March2019.
  49. ^Slingerland, Calum (11 July 2019)."M83 Returns with New Album 'DSVII'".Exclaim!.Retrieved6 September2021.
  50. ^"M83 Announce Hurry Up, We're Dreaming 10th Anniversary Reissue".Pitchfork.16 December 2021.Retrieved9 March2022.
  51. ^Corcoran, Nina (10 January 2023)."M83 Announces Tour and New Album Fantasy, Shares" Oceans Niagara "Video: Watch".Pitchfork.Retrieved11 January2023.
  52. ^"ROBER NOMINEES 2008: Best European Artist | Rober Awards".
  53. ^"Nominations 2011: Best Promo Video | Rober Awards".
  54. ^"UK Music Video Awards 2022: All the nominations for this year's UKMVAs | News".

External links[edit]

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