[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]

“Kim & Jessie” – M83 
(Words/music: Anthony Gonzalez, Yann Gonzalez, and Morgan Kibby, available on Saturdays = Youth, Mute 2008)

If Anthony Gonzalez painted rather than writing songs, he would fill his canvases with bright colors.  His melodies burn brightly, often popping out from the rest of the track, especially when played on a synthesizer.  When Gonzalez pairs these clear synth melodies with his own hazy vocals and the subdued backing track, the melodies stand out like bright neon bolts across the sky.  Calling his songs “cinematic” feels too easy, especially when Gonzalez included clipped bits of dialogue along with his soundscapes.  Instead, they evoke emotion the same way a painting might evoke emotions in a gallery; it’s less about the plot details, and more about the mode of expression.

“Kim & Jessie,” described by Gonzalez on his website as “two teenage girls having a drug experience,” works not because Gonzalez works like a painter rather than a screenwriter.  We don’t get a lot of details on the protagonists or specifics of their experiences, but these aren’t necessary.  Instead, Gonzalez paints just enough of the scene, capturing the euphoric rush and invincibility of youth.   His arrangement underscores these feelings too, whether it’s through the larger-than-life drums or the eerily bubbly synthesizer accompanying him during the verse.  He also pairs the rushing endorphins with a faint threat in the distance.  Whatever it is “lurking in the shadows,” be it drug-fueled paranoia or simply the awareness that this vibrant night will eventually end, stays just far enough away to make its presence known without revealing any of the details.  Similarly, the music hints at this threat, whether it’s the way the synthesizer lingers on one chord during the bridge or the way the synthesizers sometimes sound vaguely like screams.  Gonzales lays all of these emotions out on his sonic canvas, letting us find different aspects to explore each time we listen.  Whether focusing on the vibrant energy, the unspoken darkness, or some other emotion mixed in the haze, it’s up to us to take in the entire painting.

More on M83: Allmusic | Amazon MP3 | Emusic | Last.fm