"Being one of the most radiant keyboard albums, M83's absurdly lush second album combines a small arsenal of antiquated synths and drum machines with a shoegaze aesthetic to create a giant starburst of sound. The French duo's songs seem to evolve from one major chord to the next with tremendous velocity, always adding dense new layers of sound along the way. The keyboards throb, quiver, arpeggiate, and drone with such unbridled intensity that there's rarely any space (or need) for anything else. But while the shrill analog thrash of "America," the frenzied overload of "0078H," and the sustained crescendo of "Noise" certainly prove that guitars aren't needed for post-rock dramatics, M83 are much more than a quiet-loud-quiet-loud outfit with a twist. As evidenced by the singsongy hymnal of "In Church," the sweetly sung "Run Into Flowers," and the provincial chimes of "Beauties Can Die," M83 is a keyboard band of the best kind: one with nuance, tone, thrash, and color." (Mark Pytlik, Allmusic; 4,5 uit 5 sterren)
