M83, Ritz, Manchester

If Porcelain Raft provide wonderful lo-fi dream pop, M83 return the favour with a sprawling electro wake-up. Three years ago they would have struggled to attract such a large crowd, and they’d have to thank club hit ‘Midnight City,’ or the fantastic album ‘Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming’ it’s taken from for that, but regardless of the reason M83 are on top of their game. Dazzling background lights mimic the starry sky and their set just as epic.

‘Hurry Up We’re Dreaming’s ‘Intro’ ignites a propulsive start; frothing synths and Anthony Gonzales’ shrieking vocals creating more suspense than a NASA space launch. ‘Teen Angst’ and ‘Kim & Jessie’ are just as glowing. Shimmering synths splash a vivid hue atop the Ritz’s drab décor and the hurtling build-up of ‘We Own the Sky’ is as mammoth as the name suggests.

However, it’s ‘Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming’s tracks that impress the most. There’s something quite charming about Gonzales’ tales of futuristic love atop ‘Steve McQueen’s vibrant electronic synth-phony, all backed by the funkiest bass line this side of the Milky Way. “Waiting in a car / Waiting for a ride in the dark / Drinking in the lounge / Following the neon signs,” Gonzales whispers before WHOOSH, ‘Midnight City’s trademark squawk prompts select parts of the crowd to follow explosively, a shame the rest aren’t quite so enthusiastic.

‘Couleurs’ concludes the night in a ten-minute something rave that wouldn’t feel out of place during the morning’s early hours at Manchester’s Warehouse Project. Gonzales hardly addresses the crowd tonight, but what he lacks in words, he makes up for with jaw-dropping, space age anthems. The sudden surge in fans is deserved and if it continues this way, don’t be surprised to see M83 wowing stadium crowds.