M83 - Saturdays = Youth (Mute, 2008)

M83
Saturdays = Youth
Mute
2008

Rating: 8.5 berets out of 10

So I now equate France with three things: giant metal towers, tasty cheese, and M83. But the man behind the plan, Anthony Gonzalez, ain't no French stereotype, and this ain't your father's Serge Gainsbourg. His previous album, “Before the Dawn Heals Us”, is one of the very best records released this century as far as I'm concerned...and this follow-up ain't no slouch either.

This record is damn near perfect, a mix of electronica and 80's nostalgia that somehow manages to sound like the soundtrack to a John Hughes film but still completely new and fresh at the same time. And like previous M83 releases, it works the best when listened to through headphones – you really pick up on all the little nuances and layering that Gonzalez puts into his songs that might go missed listened to out loud on your stereo. Like all of his albums, it's a grower...the more you listen, the more it seeps into your head and the more you want to hear it. I keep waiting for Gonzalez to slip up and make a stinker, because this type of electronic-rock music walks a razor edge between cheesy and choice, but so far the dude is batting 1.000.