You Never Did Anything Wrong to Me

iTunes Review

After several years and two albums as half of French duo M83, Nicolas Fromageau departed in 2004 to make music of his own. You Never Did Anything Wrong to Me is his debut as Team Ghost, and while it’s branded an EP rather than a full-length release, the quality of the tunes — and the EP’s generous 25-minute running time — make for a satisfying listening experience that covers a lot of territory. The glacial and minimalist five-minute opener “Lonely, Lonely, Lonely” wraps the listener in faux-Zen comfort only to burst into “A Glorious Time”, one of two guitar-driven songs nodding to their shoegaze antecedents (“Only You Can Break My Heart” is the other).  Most tracks have a hazy sheen of cascading synth washes, loops of melody and percussion, and Fromageau’s wispy vocals lending them a lighter, airy feeling. There’s a slight Krautrock vibe propelling several tunes, and on “Deaf”, that relaxed, motorik pulse and Fromageau’s genteel voice are not too far from the work of José Gonzalez’ Junip. This is beautiful work from Fromageau, and worth the wait.