Saturdays = Youth

iTunes Review

The porkpie hat and hairdo boys betray the music inside: M83's fifth outing is clearly an expression of love for ‘80s pop, full of romantic, earnest vocals and hooky, sparkling synth riffs and dance rhythms. M83 wiz Anthony Gonzalez leaves fluffy adulation and satire behind. It’s as if the ‘80s are simply in his blood, his veins pumping with the stuff that made Simple Minds or Cocteau Twins so great. The near-perfect pop single “Kim and Jessie” could have been the star tune on a John Hughes film soundtrack, its wistful synth notes and longing vocals breaking hearts across the land. “Skin of the Night”, “Up”, and “We Own the Sky” are gorgeous nods to Kate Bush and the Cocteaus. While there are plenty more pop baubles to love (especially the propulsive “Graveyard Girl”), the album's textural delights—like the icy-cool “Couleurs” with its detached, distracted dance beats and the stark atmospherics of “You, Appearing”—keep it from feeling too nostalgic. Gonzalez keeps changing his skin, to our utter delight. He’s one smart chameleon (oh! remember them?!).