Review by Heather Broome

With the release of hugely ambitious double album Hurry Up We're Dreaming last year, M83's main man Anthony Gonzalez is on the cusp of mainstream success. While his previous acclaimed album - Saturdays=Youth - employed gentle, dreamy vocals and yearning electronica, his sixth platter explores previously uncharted territory - such as huge, stadium-friendly choruses, and a newfound vocal confidence from Anthony himself. So it was with a sense of real anticipation and intrigue that I travelled to the HMV Institute to watch M83 live in action.

First up were support act Porcelain Raft, a two-piece band with a fine line in shoegazey, dreamy, synth-soaked pop music. Due to the lack of manpower on stage, their gig ran with the precision of a military operation - the singer/guitarist and drummer had to keep rushing over to the synthesiser to make sure it was doing what it was supposed to be doing at the right time. It all fitted together well, hushed vocals and some inventive guitar melodies made these guys an ideal warm-up for the more cinematic soundscapes of M83.

A rapturous reception greeted M83 as a dazzling lights spectacular began and a strange alien creature, recognisable from the band's album sleeve, arrived on stage and raised its hands in the air. This set the mould for what was to follow, as the crowd was spirited away on a truly atmospheric journey that felt, rather appropriately, like a gig in space. (M83 take their name from a spiral galaxy, Messier 83.)

Like fellow indie-dance gurus Cut Copy, Gonzalez has a genuine affection for the music of the eighties, and lovingly freshens it up with a hard dance edge. And so, elements of that decade were brought back to life on stage for one last hurrah. The long-forgotten saxophone solo, for example, was dusted down and brought a wonderful conclusion to breakthrough single 'Midnight City'. It should have been cheesy but it wasn't. Damn it, saxophone solos, we've missed you!

Other highlights included 'Reunion', a soaring song that could so easily become a terrace chant, and the wistful wonder of 'Kim & Jessie', which has always made me think of The Lost Boys soundtrack for some reason.

An impressive live band really fleshed out the songs, with huge warm analogue synths that vibrated in your guts like buzzsaws, sounding just as powerful as any low-slung six-string.

There were reverb-drenched vocals from Gonzalez but guitarist/multi-instrumentalist Jordan Lawlor and charismatic keyboardist Morgan Kibby also brought their singing skills to the fore, particularly Kibby, who took the lead on many of the songs. Drummer Loic Maurin proved his dexterity and skill on the skins, ensuring this never felt like a cold, computer-generated rave.

And at times it was a rave. Gonzales may be an indie-kid with a penchant for shoegazey guitars - and even a spot of rock 'n' roll crowd-surfing - but he's got his dance music chops down to a fine art. He and his band whisked the crowd into a frenzy with frantic synth build-ups and crashing, euphoric breakdowns. The jaw-dropping, colourful light show just made it all the more special.