M83 (Photo by Ella Herme)
M83 released his new full-length album, FANTASY, on March 17 via Mute Records. As M83, Anthony Gonzalez is now on tour with a concert at The Anthem in DC on Saturday, April 22!
M83 shared the sweeping, transformative first cut “Oceans Niagara.” Accompanying the track is a video directed by his long-time creative collaborator, filmmaker (Knife + Heart, You And The Night) and brother Yann Gonzalez.
“BEYOND ADVENTURE”, Gonzalez sings into a trademark M83 swirl of synths & guitars. These are the only two words in the entirety of “Oceans Niagara,” a proclamation with an ellipsis, and the most apt tone-setting for the evocative, sense-amplifying journey that is Fantasy.
Watch the official music video for “Oceans Niagara” by M83 on YouTube:
For Anthony Gonzalez, Fantasy‘s direction and aesthetic was immediately clear. “I wanted this record to be very impactful live,” he said. “The idea was to come back with something closer to the energy of Before The Dawn Heals Us. The combination of guitars and synths is always in my music, but it’s maybe more present on this new record than on the previous ones.”
Reserved in nature, Gonzalez also sought to continue a trend that has become more prominent in his recent albums. “I wanted to be more present lyrically and vocally even if that was daunting at first,” he said. “I thought if I could achieve that, this album will be more personal than those that came before.”
Fantasy, M83’s ninth studio album, proves a towering sensory delight and marks his most personal album to date, an alternate world that Gonzalez has created as an escape from the disconnected world we live in today.
M83
W/ Jeremiah Chiu
The Anthem
Saturday, April 22
Doors @ 6:30pm
$45
All ages