Top Tunes To Blog About 14

M83 - "MIDNIGHT CITY"

When you leave a Frenchman; a master of electronica at the pinnacle of his music career, piece together a volcanic track of magnificent proportions layered with synthesisers, instruments and dreamy compositions, that is when you get "Midnight City" by M83.

M83 is the decade long moniker faithfully retained by Anthony Gonzalez and used by himself and his in-house band mates. After supporting industry giants such as Kings Of Leon, The Killers and Depeche Mode, Gonzalez has finally finished honing and sculpting the latest album "Hurry Up We're Dreaming" (released mid-October) after an agonising three year wait. Influenced by the likes of Sigur Ros, Cocteau Twins and New Order, M83's sound is unique for the current market. The indie twangs of The Infadels, the euphoric nature of Delphic and the heavenly panache of The Sound Of Arrows can all be recognised from Gonzalez' musical direction. With international bloggers and media moguls eagerly awaiting the album release, "Midnight City" is dropped as a tantalising morsel as to what the album will offer.

"Midnight City" starts off immediately with an invasive humming stabbed menacingly by squawky laboured synths; putting in motion the momentous tumbling of noise that follows next. The track truly begins when Gonzalez drops in a voluminous cascade of anthemic and overwhelmingly powerful layered percussions and gargantuan instrumentals. Shimmering metallic synths glide stealthily amongst the blackened diamond mass that is the engulfing bass-line. The opening is utterly stunning and unquestionably sticks out as one of the best pieces of music in recent years. "Midnight City" feels almost completely autonomous and mechanised as the mammoth beat thumps through auditory senses with energy and unrelenting enthusiasm. The forceful nature of the percussion is dynamically juxtaposed against the whispered breath and haunting shoegaze characteristics of Anthony's vocals. Almost a wave of breezy nothingness, the indecipherable tones make the entire track feel dreamy and astral; the occasional word being recognised to bring back any momentarily lost realms of normality. The wavy bass, the staccato synth peaks, the harmonious compositions of whimsical eighties neon-pop envelope the abrasive indie drums to create an overall package of musical verve and epic listening pleasure. As "Midnight City" marches forth it draws conflicting audio elements together, channelling them into a behemoth of sound that is dazzling, attractive and grandiose right up until the last note falls.

This track is testament to M83's capabilities, "Midnight City" will undoubtedly enlighten us all. Check the video below and show the guy some love by visiting the Facebook/Youtube/Myspace pages for M83.

BRETON - "THE COMMISSION"

If five Southeast Londoners who reside in their appropriately named "BretonLABS" compound whilst churning out sublime slabs of minimalist electro and cinematic film reels of visual genius sound like your cup of tea, then Breton are definitely your type of brew.

Breton is composed of Roman, Adam, Ian, Daniel and Alex who only within the last year or so have come together to form this unique five-piece and already they have produced exquisite sound and video work for the likes of Penguin Prison and Temper Trap, as well as remixes for Chapel Club and emerging giants, Local Natives. Their ability to notch up several EPs and already have their debut album poised for released early next year is crystal clear proof that these guys mean business and their professionalism is what underpins the Breton package.

"The Commission" is best described as an ultimately emotionally saddened and insurmountably isolating piece of minimalistic electronica. It slices open the senses and fuses together contemporary sounds with complex human emotions creating a fantastic tune full of depth, thought-provoking sparks and floaty wonderment. Even if this isn't the intention, there is a large vacuous space of feeling and emotion that appears lost, maybe anxious or trapped; engulfing the song with a veiled, sombre mood. "The Commission" starts off as a single canvas of tentative keys and spiritual whirrings; striped back electronica and simplistic production at its most effective and efficient. The eventual zorbing of the spacey bass-line gives the track a diligent boost of momentum and emotional drive; seismically driving an infinite crevasse between background instruments and foreground vocals. The vocals are key to harbouring the songs characteristics which are so well hidden and introverted behind cloaked screens that they require a gentle nudge. Haunting, eerie and mesmerisingly soft, the vocals orbit the polished gleam of mechnical noise with skill and sew the overall song together with unparralled finesse. "The Commission" feels like a collision of Sigur Ros, Mount Kimbie, The Avalanches, The Knife and Breakage; a plaintive trip of archaic notions and Nordic expressionism perfectly crafted for the modern day. The song progresses into a cavernous emptiness of heightened vocals that spiral through vortexy bass-lines and sedated dubstep-nuances. This cosmological effect garners a blackened landscape of absolute artistic-electro minimalism. It implores an unexpected pilgrimage into the human psyche, touching emotions and auditory senses; a rare thing for a track to accomplish. Breathtaking and beautiful, it's no wonder this track was commissioned.

Check out the stunning music video below and give these London lads some well earnt online love via their Facebook/Youtube/Myspace pages.