Digital Shades Volume 2

After spending years creating the grand statements of Junk and the music for Cirque du Soleils show Volta, M83s Anthony Gonzalez recharged with a pair of more personal projects that arrived in 2019. The first was his equally romantic and unsettling score for Knife + Heart, his brother Yann Gonzalezs late-70s erotic thriller. The second was DSVII, which appeared more than a decade after his first collection of instrumentals, Digital Shades, Vol. 1. As on the first volume, Gonzalez lets his music run free on DSVII, unfettered by pop structures or anyone elses expectations. And, like Knife + Heart, this album is a reminder that his passion for pop culture doesnt start and end with the 80s. Some of the more wistful tracks here, such as the aptly named A Bit of Sweetness and Feelings, feel like organic outgrowths of Knife + Hearts mix of sentimental 70s pop and giallo moods. Gonzalez also pays homage to some of the eras synth innovators; in particular, Mort Garsons warmth, mysticism, and endearing melodies pop up on A Taste of the Dusk and Lunar Son. Later on DSVII, Gonzalez returns to the vintage TV music he explored on Junk. With their easygoing flutes, pianos, and harmonicas, Meet the Friends and A Word of Wisdom could be theme songs for shows that never aired. While there are plenty of intimate moments on DSVII, the album gives equal time to M83s majestic side. Gonzalez taps into the storytelling and mythmaking powers of sci-fi movie and video game scores on Hell Riders, which builds from gentle drones to towering choral vocals, synths, and drums, and on the brisk Lune de Fiel, which nods to jazz and prog with its intricate lead melody. When the album closes with the fanfares of Oh Yes Youre There, Everyday and the solemn Temple of Sorrow, DSVII concludes a journey thats filled with as much wonder as any of M83s full-fledged releases. Its a soothing and inspiring listen, especially for fans who love vintage sounds and period details as much as Gonzalez does. ~ Heather Phares