M83 released Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts last year to immediate critical acclaim from the likes of NME ('Air meets My Bloody Valentine meets total sex. It's simply totally amazing') to Vice magazine ('this is fucking amazing') though we must admit the record passed Skrufff by amidst the clutter of other stuff.

However, having been blown away by their new EP America (which features a couple of tracks from the aforementioned album) we've now checked out the source and have to declare it 'simply totally fucking amazing'.

Mixing achingly melancholic ambient strings into melodic and tuneful electronic songs, the French duo of Nicholas Fromageau and Anthony Gonzalez have achieved the rare distinction of crafting a truly beautiful, epic album that bears comparisons with Jean Michel Jarre and Vangelis at their finest (Oxygene and Bladerunner) whilst carving out their own unique original sound.

"Leaves you truly stumped for words", said DJ mag, "'simply totally fucking amazing' we'll say (again).

Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts is out now on Gooom, EMI France.

http://www.ilovem83.com