M83
M83 are a French Shoegazing band quite notable for their artistic quality. Current members are Anthony Gonzalez (composer), Morgan Kibby, Loïc Maurin, and Pierre-Marie Maulini.
Their career started in 2001 with a Self-Titled Album that received little attention or praise. They released their second album Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts in 2003: critically praised but commercially ignored for its first year. Then the indie scene picked it up and they gained some popularity. By 2005's Before The Dawn Heals Us, they had gained a fanbase and critics were drooling in anticipation over the album's release. Though not as critically praised as Dead Cities, it got very positive attention. Then Saturdays=Youth was released in 2008, once again getting them good sales and positive critical attention. The band's next album, Hurry Up, We're Dreaming, was issued in 2011 to massive acclaim and its first single, "Midnight City" was named the best song of the year by Pitchfork Media (and in 2012, the song became rather popular on alternative rock radio).
Indie kids love this band. It's very easy to spot why: M83 loves to use experimental sound effects to add to the artistic quality of their albums. Pretentious people eat it up very quickly. But don't let that deter you - their music is still quite good.
- Epic Rocking:"Lower Your Eyelids to Die with the Sun", "Beauties Can Die", and "Midnight Souls Still Remain" all extend past 10 minutes.
- Although, in the case of "Midnight Souls Still Remain," it could be disputed whether repeating two chords with no variation whatsoever could be considered "epic" or "rocking."
- Everything Is an Instrument: The shoegazing edition.
- Toad Licking: Pretty much all there is to "Raconte-Moi Une Histoire" from Hurry Up, We're Dreaming.