Saturdays = Youth [LP]

On SATURDAYS = YOUTH, the 2008 follow-up to the ambient-leaning DIGITAL SHADES VOL. 1, M83 mastermind Anthony Gonzalez wanders with his synth-pop muse into a dreamy, expansive realm populated by characters from John Hughes films. (See the cover art for evidence.) Though many 21st-century acts incorporate a 1980s influence with some level of winking irony, Gonzalez takes inspiration from that keyboard-loving decade and uses it with utter sincerity, as best exemplified by "Kim & Jessie," a soaring romantic anthem that nods to peak-era Tears for Fears and Simple Minds.
At times gleefully melodramatic (see the oddly sunny goth number "Graveyard Girl"), YOUTH fully embraces Gonzalez's dense, maximalist aesthetic, a sound that he showcases best on the pulsing "Couleurs," a heavily layered synthesizer workout, and "We Own the Sky," a majestic track that steadily moves towards the heavens via keyboard propulsion. Clearly M83's most focused and pop-savvy outing, YOUTH should appeal to Gonzalez's faithful fans, while also drawing new listeners into his mesmerizing aural landscapes.