Review of M83's CD "Before The Dawn Heals Us"

M83: Before The Dawn Heals Us

The tongue twisting M83 are named after a Spiral Galaxy in a star-system far, far away. Now on their third album, they sound as grandiose as their inter-galactic moniker, merging rock, dance, instrumental mayhem and anything else they can find in the cosmic bargain bin. Their previous album "Dead Cities, Red Seas and Lost Ghosts" was an underground hit, uniting indie idealism and drone dance in a harmonious clash.

Beginning with a post-apocalyptic Grimm fairytale being read Jackanory style, a barrage of orchestral brilliance blows the nightmare vocals into smithereens. The opener "Moonchild" is located somewhere between God Speed You with killer synths turned to Death Star level and Spacemen 3's destructive white noise. It makes a beeline for your synapses, soothing and snapping in equal measure, demanding attention.

The intensity only increases as child choirs, spasmodic drum machines and extra synths explode, your aural galaxy expanding at the speed of light. Lo-fi epics (Safe) suddenly burst into life while others (Teen Angst) just scream and scream with unadulterated passion.

Ambitious and taut, it fuses ethereal pounding with a shattering wall of sound. By taking the past memory of My Bloody Valentine, M83 bring it bang up to date with a stellar, tech fresh edge that digs in and refuses to leave.

• www.ilovem83.com

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