• Record Label: Mute
  • Release Date: Jan 25, 2005
User Score
8.6

Universal acclaim- based on 56 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 53 out of 56
  2. Negative: 1 out of 56

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  1. Oct 16, 2013
    10
    best album everrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
  2. android
    Oct 7, 2006
    10
    awesome stuff.
  3. TylerD
    Jan 6, 2007
    10
    M83's Before the Dawn Heals Us is, in a nutshell, brilliant. I haven't heard Dead Cities and I already love the band. I'm really looking forward to hearing more. But for now, Before the Dawn Heals Us is filling my M83-hearing need just fine. One of the greatest albums I've ever heard.
  4. melbourne
    Jan 27, 2005
    10
    great album with great sound. im impressed. the added vocals to anthony's already dreamy sound makes it enjoyable. get it, you wont regret
  5. ShabarO
    Jan 20, 2005
    9
    Explosion of emotions under a sky of sparkling sounds. Gonzalez has here found a great maturity in the production and there is no doubt that this album is a major classic. The references to the early shoegazer pioneers ,even still there, are no longer priorities. Even this early in the year , this album should succeed to stay in the top 10 for the year or else I can't wait to hear Explosion of emotions under a sky of sparkling sounds. Gonzalez has here found a great maturity in the production and there is no doubt that this album is a major classic. The references to the early shoegazer pioneers ,even still there, are no longer priorities. Even this early in the year , this album should succeed to stay in the top 10 for the year or else I can't wait to hear what else 2005 has to offer. I think that it is worth mentionning that long-term friend and collaborator of Gonzalez , Feist, has released a majestic record worth the attention. 9 is the rating but only because we want to leave room for improving. Expand
  6. teds.
    Jan 23, 2005
    9
    An awesome mix of shoegaze and space rock. Best electronic music ever since Air's 10.000 Hz Legend.
  7. WynnW
    Mar 28, 2005
    9
    Brilliant album very close to perfect.
  8. VinceH.
    Sep 27, 2005
    10
    Absolutely gorgeous music. The first time I listened to it, it kind of reminded me of MBV's "Loveless" mixed with a bit of Sigur Ros and post-OK Computer Radiohead. I never heard of this group before checking out this LP, but now I am definitely interested in more of their stuff. "Can't Stop" is the catchiest song I've heard not on "Twin Cinema" and the arrangements and Absolutely gorgeous music. The first time I listened to it, it kind of reminded me of MBV's "Loveless" mixed with a bit of Sigur Ros and post-OK Computer Radiohead. I never heard of this group before checking out this LP, but now I am definitely interested in more of their stuff. "Can't Stop" is the catchiest song I've heard not on "Twin Cinema" and the arrangements and production of the album is beautiful to listen to. The use of live instruments intermingling with the electronic beats is really solid, as are the lyrics, which are spacey and abstract, but still somewhat accessible. Expand
  9. ShelR
    Jan 22, 2005
    9
    Terrific cd.. a spirtual experience.
  10. SimonC.
    Jan 23, 2005
    7
    Good CD.. sometime over-pretentious and too grandiose but else very complex, deep and evocating soundscapes.. Anyway check it out, It's worth at least one listen. sorry for the bad english but it's not my mother tongue.. Finally, I wanted to say that the last reviewer "Shabar O" is mixing Gonzalez, the artist/performer who made the Piano Solo album last year with Anthony Good CD.. sometime over-pretentious and too grandiose but else very complex, deep and evocating soundscapes.. Anyway check it out, It's worth at least one listen. sorry for the bad english but it's not my mother tongue.. Finally, I wanted to say that the last reviewer "Shabar O" is mixing Gonzalez, the artist/performer who made the Piano Solo album last year with Anthony Gonzalez, the keyboardist and now-single member of M83. Anthony G. has nothing to do with the sweet Feist. Too bad for him ;-) Expand
  11. PinkRock
    Jan 28, 2005
    9
    The inclusion of vocals and live instruments on this release takes M83 to the next level. M83 have grown leaps and bounds in comparison to their first release, M83, in 2002. If "Dead Cities, Red Seas, and Lost Ghosts" was their "Soft Bulletin", then "Before the Dawn Heals Us" is their "Yoshimi". Simply wonderous and amazing.
  12. Mark
    Jan 29, 2005
    9
    A little Pink Floyd with some Air and some Dead cities in between and you have a nice follow up.
  13. Chris
    Apr 25, 2005
    9
    Their mixture of rock and eletronica and so many other sounds make this an amazing CD.
  14. Nov 6, 2010
    7
    Take 'Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts', and move the band into a big city. What do you get? 'Before the Dawn Heals Us'! This album as a whole, doesn't have the sonic scope or feeling that their earlier releases do, but there are some gems here. The production shimmers like city lights, and everything is a lot more polished this time round. But not in a good way. The tracks are vergingTake 'Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts', and move the band into a big city. What do you get? 'Before the Dawn Heals Us'! This album as a whole, doesn't have the sonic scope or feeling that their earlier releases do, but there are some gems here. The production shimmers like city lights, and everything is a lot more polished this time round. But not in a good way. The tracks are verging on cheesy here, but they get away with it.

    Personal Highlights. Moonchild, In the Cold I'm Standing, I guess I'm Floating, Asterik, Car Chase Terror
    Expand
  15. Jun 29, 2021
    9
    This is probably M83's best record. It’s kinda like a cross between "Hurry Up, We're Dreaming“ with the large sounding ambient synths and "Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts" but without the 8-Bit sounds.

    Fav songs: "Farewell / Goodbye", "Don’t Save Us From The Flames", "A Guitar and a Heart", "In the Cold I'm Standing", "Car Chase Terror !", "Moon Child", "Teen Angst" Least fav song:
    This is probably M83's best record. It’s kinda like a cross between "Hurry Up, We're Dreaming“ with the large sounding ambient synths and "Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts" but without the 8-Bit sounds.

    Fav songs: "Farewell / Goodbye", "Don’t Save Us From The Flames", "A Guitar and a Heart", "In the Cold I'm Standing", "Car Chase Terror !", "Moon Child", "Teen Angst"
    Least fav song: "I Guess I‘m Floating"
    Expand
  16. Jun 25, 2023
    7
    It has some great and unique tracks, however the middle of the album was such a dead spot to me.
Metascore
76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 27 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 22 out of 27
  2. Negative: 0 out of 27
  1. For all its reference points, it's a remarkable and original record.
  2. Entertainment Weekly
    91
    [A] sublime soundtrack to dancing in the moonlight. [21 Jan 2005, p.88]
  3. For every breathtaking melodic rush like Don't Save Us From the Flames, with its guitars whizzing and whooshing like fireworks, there is a piece of portentous tosh like Moonchild, which calls to mind Spinal Tap and a scale model of Stonehenge.