Artist of the Week: M83

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Sebatien Camelot via Flickr cc

M83 – Live @ Paris

M83 is a galaxy somewhere out there in the universe, but it is also a band that comes from Antibes, France. Forming in 2001 with original band members Anthony Gonzalez and Nicolas Fromageau, the band took on an electronic sound. Months later, M83 released their first album, which was self-titled. It was reissued under Mute Records in September 2005.

M83’s second album, Dead Cities, Red Seas, and Lost Ghosts, was released in early 2003, and got #116 on the charts in France. Another album followed two years later and got to 103 in French Charts and 166 in United Kingdom’s. 

There were two more albums after this one that were released a few years after.

In October 2011, M83 released an album named Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming. The album was M83’s best, highest on the charts in the US as #15. It reached #38 in M83’s home country, France. Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming, is the first album of M83’s to be released as a vinyl record.

Off of the hit album, the single “Midnight City,” is M83’s most popular song of all. It reached #5 on USA’s Alternative Charts, and was featured in movies such as Warm Bodies, in 2013, and also many commercials and small features of movies.

In 2013, the band made a song for hit movie Oblivion, under Black Lot’s label. As for 2014, a song off of Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming, was feautured in the hit soundtrack for The Fault In Our Stars. The song received an immense amount of attention from teenagers around the world.

M83 went through nine band members in total, but only four remain. Anthony Gonzalez, Jordan Lawlor, Loïc Maurin and Ian Young are the current band members. Anthony Gonzalez, original band member and still current band member, sings vocals for the band along with back-up vocalist and guitarist Jordan Lawlor. Drummer Loïc Maurin joined the band not long after Gonzalez and Fromageau split after the touring for their second album. Ian Young, a saxophone player, also joined the band shortly after Fromageau’s departure.

As for their current music path, M83 has released a new music video for their song “Moonchild,” on October 9th.

There has been no news for a new album or song yet, but everyone hopes to hear soon from the band.