Anthony Gonzalez of M83
Dramatic soundscapes, breathy vocals, and crescendos drenched in lush synth pads are hallmarks of the music of Anthony Gonzalez, better known as M83. Hailing from Antibes, France, Anthony has created music that is moving, tragic, and strangely nostalgic. M83's last album, "Saturdays = Youth," was a critical success, drawing inspiration from films of the 1980's. We had a chance to meet Anthony at Winter NAMM 2010 where he was scoping out new tools to craft his next album. Speaking via phone from his home in L.A., Anthony shared with us a little about his writing process and how he has been using Sonoma Wire Works products.
What are you currently working on? Any new material?
The previous album came out almost two years ago, so I'm ready to work on a new album. I just moved to L.A., so I'm getting my studio ready. I'm going to start working on a new album as soon as my studio is done, it's very exciting.
"Saturdays = Youth" was a huge success and achieved much critical acclaim. The sound was a notable departure from your previous work. Do you see your sound changing even more on this new record?
I think the new album will sound different because I like change. I think it's important for bands to try something different, to explore new landscapes in music. I also always want to work with different people, different producers, and different artists. That's what I like about being by myself, I can work with different people each time.
How do you think you'll be using DrumCore in your songwriting?
The software is so handy and so very easy to use! I'm going to use it for my demos. Most of the time I work with real drummers, but because I'm all alone in my studio when I write, I need to start with something. It's very easy and sounds so good; it's very close to having a live drummer with you.
Do you have ideas for how we could improve DrumCore or any feature requests?
Not really, it's very straightforward and I like that. You don't have to tweak the sound very much to have something very good. It already sounds good the moment you pull up a preset.
Where can our users hear more of your music?
They're going to have to wait until I finish my new album, but until then they can visit my website www.ilovem83.com or they can visit my Myspace and Facebook.
