LogFAQs > #954283811

213. M83 Midnight City (2011)
from the album Hurry Up, Were Dreaming

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dX3k_QDnzHE

Key lyrics:
The city is my church

Even the best synth-pop songs tend to be a tad dorky; its part of the charm. Yet Midnight City, despite its rather eccentric production, popped onto the scene like the most effortlessly cool song ever written. This is a song that never lets up, starting with that unforgettable opening (which is apparently a heavily distorted voice) through the reflective verses to the saxophone solo that closes it all out. The stellar sound brings up images of driving through a city at night, but not just any city. This is a city dotted with neon signs but otherwise cast in darkness, a place you can only visit in dreams.

This is another song defined by contrasts. That distorted wailing weaves its way throughout the song, sometimes taking center stage, sometimes blending in with the instruments. Its propulsive force lets Midnight City dip in and out of a faster pace at will. This one element creates a sound that is truly monolithic. Yet Midnight City simultaneously feels meditative, Gonzalezs gentle voice casting a warm presence before bursting with energy at the end of the final verse as he declares the city his church. In 2011, it was a song that sounded like no other synth-pop had been around for decades, but M83 discovered a new form.

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My top 100 games (with write-ups): https://foolfantastic.com/top-100-video-games-project/