Decibels: 2/5

 

Double albums and concept albums always seem to be hit or miss. So when a band decides to combine both, you know they’re skating on thin ice. This is the case with French electronic pop band M83’s sixth studio album, ‘Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming.’ The mastermind behind M83, Anthony Gonzalez, attempts to create a dreamscape with the use of ambient sounds and synthesizers; instead, the monotonous 22-song, 74-minute marathon sends its listeners into their own dreams.

 

In a recent interview with Pitchfork, Gonzalez described the album as ‘very, very, very epic,’ and he was not lying, but this term doesn’t necessarily have a positive connotation. Whereas indie titans such as The Arcade Fire consistently release brilliant and epic albums, M83’s larger-than-life sound is unfocused. The album consists of almost as many instrumental filler tracks as it does actual songs. The over-the-top production and unrelenting pace of the album doesn’t allow its listeners to breathe. The songs seamlessly transition into one another, making it sound like one big track as opposed to individual songs. 

 

The album seems to be confused about what it wants to be. On one level, it attempts to evoke all the senses and feelings one has while dreaming. It does this with its use of drawn out synthesizer riffs and electronic drum beats that build into instrumental climax. On the other side, it’s a gothic pop and shoegaze piece of art. M83 is at its best when crafting songs with ‘80s pop sensibility. This is what made album ‘Saturdays = Youth’ so brilliant. It was original and refreshing. Unfortunately, Gonzalez is too ambitious for his own good. 

 

Although the album as a whole becomes repetitive and boring due to the instrumentals, there are a handful of songs that resemble the M83 fans fell in love with. ‘New Map’ floods the speakers with sparkling organ and keyboard progressions before Gonzalez’s multilayered operatic vocals seduce the listener. 

 

The brilliant ‘Claudia Lewis’ most closely resembles the energy and catchiness of 2008 hit ‘Kim and Jessie.’ After a slow build, the track explodes with conga drums and a funk-tastic bass riff. The ‘oh, oh, oh’ chorus allows listeners to sing along as they melt into the electronica-filled breakdown. The other few bright spots include first single ‘Midnight City,’ which features a synth riff reminiscent of MGMT’s ‘Time to Pretend’ and Genesis-like rock anthem ‘Reunion.’

 

Though there are hits, there are also plenty of misses. ‘Fountains,’ ‘Splendor’ and ‘Echoes of Mine,’ though beautifully crafted, are overproduced filler tracks with strange ambient sounds. They all contain the same chord progression. The six-minute ‘Wait’ bores as Gonzalez attempts a shot at an acoustic rock song. ‘Steve McQueen,’ complete with its tsunami-like waves of synth, overpowers the vocals. The result is a cacophony of electro-noise. 

 

Although you can’t fault an artist for attempting to push musical limits, M83’s ‘Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming’ seemingly gets lost in what it’s attempting to be. It’s an album in which the underlying fascination is with dreams and the human mind, two things that we still don’t fully understand. Unable to fully comprehend these abstract concepts, the album seems disjointed and uneven. It’s colossal and grand by instrumental standards, but maybe the need to be epic got in the way of just being plain good.