Track Listing

1. You Appearing
2. Kim And Jessie
3. Skin Of The Night
4. Graveyard Girl
5. Couleurs
6. Up
7. We Own The Sky
8. Highway Of Endless Dreams
9. Too Late
10. Dark Moves Of Love
11. Midnight Souls Still Remain

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #11694 in Music
• Released on: 2008-04-14
• Number of discs: 1

CD Description
On SATURDAYS = YOUTH, the 2008 follow-up to the ambient-leaning DIGITAL SHADES VOL. 1, M83 mastermind Anthony Gonzalez wanders with his synth-pop muse into a dreamy, expansive realm populated by characters from John Hughes films. (See the cover art for evidence.) Though many 21st-century acts incorporate a 1980s influence with some level of winking irony, Gonzalez takes inspiration from that keyboard-loving decade and uses it with utter sincerity, as best exemplified by "Kim& Jessie," a soaring romantic anthem that nods to peak-era Tears for Fears and Simple Minds. At times gleefully melodramatic (see the oddly sunny goth number "Graveyard Girl"), YOUTH fully embraces Gonzalez's dense, maximalist aesthetic, asound that he showcases best on the pulsing "Couleurs," a heavily layered synthesizer workout, and "We Own the Sky," a majestic track that steadily moves towards the heavens via keyboard propulsion. Clearly M83's most focused and pop-savvyouting, YOUTH should appeal to Gonzalez's faithful fans, while also drawing new listeners into his mesmerizing aural landscapes.

Customer Reviews

A dream of a record come true
This fourth M83 LP takes on where the previous "Before The Dawn..." left off, but an even larger room was made this time for ethereal vocals, whether male or female. From the startling opening "You, Appearing", you know you're in for something special; the subtle trickery of previous works is here, but serves the purpose in a much more soulful (dare I say "human") way.

Tracks such as "Kim & Jessie" (which could provide a nice indie-pop summer hit) or "Up!" sound like how the last (brilliant ortherwise) Goldfrapp LP could have been up to if they had kept their electronic craft, while "Dark Moves Of Love" is the epitome of shoegazing albeit turned to 11 (like the Cocteau Twins jamming with Mercury Rev, if you see what I mean). But the key track here, still, is the forthcoming single, "Couleurs", which, with his obsessive rhythm construction and guitar/keyboards collusive maelstrom, will take you to another level of hypnose and excitement, to heights rarely reached by electronic acts.

A few 80's tricks in the arrangements can't even distract from the fact "Saturdays=Youth" (not such a cryptic title, if you think) is pop as what it always should be; sing-a-long melodies and innovative soundscapes everywhere.

Remeber the 80's
Talk talk, Human League, Soft Cell, Tubeway Army and OK more up to date Air. They are all in here and you won't listen to a more catchy and wistful album all year. However by the end you may well have had enough so lose astar for that, but I hate to say it this could be equally well received at a thirteen year old girl's birthday party or at a middle aged dinner party.

Go figure!

Saturdays = Youth = an essential album
It is maybe because I am of a similar age to M83's Anthony Gonzalez that the themes and aesthetics of 'Saturday = Youth' resonate so strongly. This album is drenched with 80's inspiration and takes its atmospheric cues from the likes of Cocteau Twins, the post punk band The Chameleons (give their second album 'What Does Anything Mean? Basically' a listen - the opener 'Silence, Sea & Sky' in particular could have been plucked straight from an M83 album) as well as an obvious nod to 'Hounds of Love' era Kate Bush.

In some respects, the album is comparable to the work of Boards of Canada. That is not to say that M83's compositions resemble the mood or sonic palette of BoC particularly ('Music Has the Right to Children' was menacing and claustrophobic, 'Saturdays = Youth' is light and airy), it is more the sense of delicious nostalgia that each act expertly taps into.

There is a shamelessly heartfelt sincerity to these tracks, which is extremely refreshing given the number of bands that are currently adopting an 80's influenced sound but are far too self aware and engrossed in cool posturing to cut loose and have fun with it.

The whole album is an absolute delight, but a special mention for 'You, Appearing', 'Kim & Jessie', 'We Own the Sky' and 'Dark Moves of Love'.