u/No-Coleman

I was never big on guitar solos and riffs and I never understood why (probably cause I'm a dude I should like solos) but ever since getting into CT in January they've became one of my favorite bands ever with Robin being my all time favorite guitarist. The sounds he would create gave me so many face melting reactions how he was able to make these synth sounding sounds and how he can create swirling textures with a guitar always blew me away His work with Cocteau Twins turned the guitar into something that could function almost like synths, pads and textures, and entire atmospheric soundscapes. His use of effects layering, processing, and unconventional playing had a huge influence on dream pop shoegaze and other atmospheric music.

What's especially interesting to me is that this wasn't limited to Cocteau Twins. His extensive solo work and collaborations show that he continued developing this approach to the guitar long after the band ended. A lot of his solo material demonstrates just how much he can build an entire sonic environment around the guitar without relying on conventional riffs or virtuosic solos. Great highlights from his solo work is turn together burn and Euphemia probably being my favorite is his solo work with Fortune being my favorite album by him. His work with Harold Budd is some of the most atmospheric stuff you'll ever hear.

Is he top 5? Eh probably not top 10? Maybe not that either but a top 20? Possibly. He deserves a place in some list. I feel like he doesnt get enough or any praise for his work especially when it comes to CT as Liz is mentioned more times than Robin. I mean theirs a lot of bands that copied his style to make his sound. Slowdive (just for a day sounds like its almost a CT album) Ride has mentioned Robin being an inspiration to their sound AR Kane Lush the list goes on a lil more. But yeah I love Robin and thankful for the sounds I got to experience and fall in love with textures and atmosphere. Any of you agree?

Listened to the album a few times for a full feel of the album and I'm conflicted cause I think theirs genuinely good ideas on the album. I love that it goes back to his roots but Maybe it's too simple minded but it's just too much piano on the album. I was never mad and assumed this album would he instrumental as i love a lot of his instrumental work/albums id love to know his mind set for making a piano heavy album. Soldiers of lust should have been removed. But besides that some songs don't feel fully fleshed out and it seems like it was almost on purpose. Feeding time and losing ground are two great examples where's they have these Constant buildups than they desolve. It's like Anthony knows these songs should have explosive climaxes but no almost like once it's about to explode it gets cut off. They don't feel fully fleshed out. Feeding time is a great example in particular. Losing Ground did give me that transecendent surreal moment during the second half of the song tho. I could still really like those songs but they just don't feel satisfying.

With Anthony stating that "Blister Sunrise is almost acts like a trap where you're gonna be in this world where you're never going back to again" and I somewhat disagree instrumentally it represents the album especially with the finished pianos keys towards the end.

To people saying this is a love letter to dead cities. It is but not 100 percent. As this definitely feels more on the minimal side of Anthony's synth side. Once again hate to sound like a broken record but the over reliance on piano keys it's like he had two ideas one being a call back to his earlier work while also showing maturity? I think? Just feels like pianos and Synth heavy songs just clash kinda rather than mesh and mix and it feels like they live seperately instead of together when both instruments are playing. It feels more restrained like. I honestly could see Dead Cities fans being letdown isnt that sound through and through. Even though I do love how much soundscape is in the album and how atmospheric it is. Big plus in that regard. Always dig Anthony's soundscapes.

Opera I do think is a highlight as it just feels like these constant waves washing over you. Loved Heart Motion Foto as it was basically Anthony saying hello real quick giving us an update. LOVE the first minute of the song. Ethereal Anthony sounds super dreamy. Got a bit teary eyed on that one. Sirens is awesome almost should be it's own track. While behold beasts I want to like more I love the sax but it almost sounds a bit tedious. Aged I think is great thematically as it starts off with super fast glitchy synths but than switches to piano to show well how much he's aged. Works in that regard but still not that big into that song as I feel like not enough stuff is happening in the background while the piano plays. Maybe I'm being too simple minded but 🤷‍♂️

It does feel like Anthony is trying to talk to us with this album. He does state in an interview that the album has no meaning and it's just another m83 record that's suppose to be more spontaneous and less calculated which it certainly is but it just many songs on a 9 track listing album doesnt sound fleshed out which again I kinda feel like was on purpose. It's a bittersweetness I feel towards this album. I feel it's absence as much as I feel it's presence. I'm grateful for another m83 album. I like some stuff on here DEFINITELY not a bad album. It's harmless just leaves much to be desired. But I will say I'm glad they did get this one out of their system. The album gives me optimistic feelings for their future releases. I love the concept of the album but execution wasnt their all the way which I think was somewhat intentional. It's absolutely a sincere album which I love. A lot of elements and ideas I love that I feel like doesnt fully pay off. On positive note to end on it does feel like an album that while it is looking back but it also feels like it's looking forward as well. It gives me an optimistic feeling I suppose. What are your guys opinions? I would love to read other peoples opinions now that the albums been out for a few days. Lets starts a civil discussion.

Sounds a bit shoegazey. Am I wrong? Kinda love it.

Come on Anthonyyyyy give us an update lolol

I know Neil and Christian together help create the sounds but tryna decipher who is mostly responsible for it. Also what are some of better songs that showcase Christian?

The instrumental outro is honestly the best part of the song. Almost feels intentional that it was removed to make it less noisy but it's the best part. Wish someone could polish the outro up from the demo and stitch it to the studio version and upload it to YouTube. It's just a chaotic outro that's great.

I find that aspect of kanes lore for his version very interesting. Idk how you expand that in the second movie but I'm very intrigued. Just find that copy of a copy lore so fascinating in a way. Would kinda make sense as backrooms doesn't have official lore or canon and the backrooms that aren't kanes could easily be a copy of his version or kanes could be a copy of someone elses version.

I have workshop framework but I still get a pop up saying that it's invalid after I boot the game up and tell me it's not recommended to continue on that save so I have to disable it until I figure it out.

Downloaded workshop framework and still would get an invalid pop up.

Anyone else agree? New to slowdive and wow they seem like a more dreamy side to shoegaze and I'm obsessed with this song. Rachaels vocals are so ethereal and the Cocteau twins "wash" is all over this song. Shimmers every where.

I'm new to the band. I just got into the genre about 2 years ago but heavily analyzing it and going through the genere of dream pop/shoegaze. Think I'm more into the dream pop genres more so and Slowdive seems to be the more dreamy side of shoegaze (maybe I'm wrong) and mannnn Cecilia's Dream deserves a modern live performance on camera cause it's so good. And the lyrics make the instrumentals emotionally resonant so nicely. Seems like an underated track.

A game about music and memories was super cool to see this game have a lush song as tbh I kinda feel like they are forgotten in many ways so it was cool to see a developer bring their name back in the limelight in some form. Monochrome is a choice as I think sweetness and light would have fit better for riding a skate board in the game. Was a cool experience as I hoped maybe a shoegaze/dream pop band would be referenced since I just got into the genre a year ago. (Cocteau Twins is referenced as well)