Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts
by M83
User Score
8.6

Universal acclaim- based on 86 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 75 out of 86
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 86
  3. Negative: 5 out of 86

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  1. steveo
    Jan 4, 2005
    10
    Most Breathetaking Electro Album ever. Cleary album of the year
  2. EmilT
    Sep 2, 2005
    10
    beautiful not-heard-before masterpiece
  3. indieveadindievead
    Jun 14, 2004
    10
    m83 is really electronic moments in MBV-style. Fantastic CD!!!
  4. AndreiR
    Jan 19, 2005
    10
    Original, evocative, deep, a long-lasting pleasure, truly fantastic!
  5. DonT
    Feb 7, 2005
    10
    Amazing pure genius.
  6. RickyR.
    Feb 19, 2010
    10
    Electronic music was never meant to be this beautiful. Some parts of the album sound so huge it's almost frightening in it's vastness. Listen to this album in a comfortable chair with the lights off and your mind will swim with beautiful images.
  7. easymorningrebel
    Dec 30, 2003
    10
    A pleasant surprise. Over synth and clicks, these French electronic duo tell tales of "Birds" and "Cyborg". Okay, it's not "Loveless : Revisited" but if "people" mentioned your name in one sentence with My Bloody Valentine, well...
  8. TerrenceO
    Nov 29, 2004
    10
    simply the most beautiful electronic music ever
  9. David
    Mar 8, 2004
    10
    Absolutely fantastic.
  10. mkk255
    Oct 16, 2013
    10
    best album everrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
  11. FatlasShrugged
    Feb 5, 2014
    10
    There is not an album I've listened to that has gotten close to matching the masterfully crafted aesthetics in this immense, powerful, gorgeous, and emotionally moving album by the one and only M83. Amazing work.
  12. BrushedRed
    Jun 3, 2015
    10
    Ever wonder what it would sound like if you perfectly combined shoegaze and electronic music? Sounds like a strange combination for sure, but it makes me salivate because both are some of my favorite genres ever.. Well M83 are just that. They perfectly combine the two genres in a way that no one has done before. This album is up there with the greats. It's a peaceful, ethereal,Ever wonder what it would sound like if you perfectly combined shoegaze and electronic music? Sounds like a strange combination for sure, but it makes me salivate because both are some of my favorite genres ever.. Well M83 are just that. They perfectly combine the two genres in a way that no one has done before. This album is up there with the greats. It's a peaceful, ethereal, contemplative journey that you can have just laying on your couch. They are named after the Messier galaxy, and in my opinion, that is a perfect inspiration for their name because their music is what I picture space to sound like. Wonderful!… Expand
  13. wesp
    Oct 6, 2004
    9
    as john milton went blind from pursuing his life's passion; creating a flawless epic so do m83 on this record.
  14. Paul
    Jul 21, 2004
    9
    A stunner. July 27, when Dead Cities gets its stateside release, will be a banner day. Two moments on this album are worth checking out if you're not sure if it's for you. First, listen to the three tracks that open the album; if you get sucked in by the blend of organic and digital, it's for you. Second try: listen to "America," conceptual sound collage at its finest. If A stunner. July 27, when Dead Cities gets its stateside release, will be a banner day. Two moments on this album are worth checking out if you're not sure if it's for you. First, listen to the three tracks that open the album; if you get sucked in by the blend of organic and digital, it's for you. Second try: listen to "America," conceptual sound collage at its finest. If you're not moved, leave it alone, but if you are, expect more such moments across the rest of the album. This is the warmest digital music I've ever heard.… Expand
  15. RobertA
    Aug 7, 2004
    9
    whoa, this is some cool stuff. listen to it while you read a book and it should help you. listening to this makes me feel like i am in a different world at times.
  16. OscarD
    Sep 14, 2004
    9
    The kind of album that will be re-discovered by their critics a couple of years/months from now. Great use of samples . The production is very subtle, needs to be appreciated on monitor speakers or good headphones.
  17. DomS.
    Jan 16, 2004
    9
    I'm so sick of the My Bloody Valentine references. Just enjoy this album for what it is: a macroscopic overburn of electronic goodness, sometimes lilting and sometimes too intense to listen to in headphones.
  18. ribena_wrath
    Nov 6, 2010
    9
    This album as a whole is spectacular. It's hard to think how electro can be so poignant, so powerful. A bunch of keyboards stirs up so much feeling here. The album is clearly divided into two. Some tracks are slow, progressive and grandiose. The others pretend to be, and then rip your face of with frantic noise. But all the tracks are visceral and colourful.

    Personal highlights, America,    This album as a whole is spectacular. It's hard to think how electro can be so poignant, so powerful. A bunch of keyboards stirs up so much feeling here. The album is clearly divided into two. Some tracks are slow, progressive and grandiose. The others pretend to be, and then rip your face of with frantic noise. But all the tracks are visceral and colourful.

    Personal highlights, America, Gone, Run into Flowers, Unrecorded.    … Collapse
  19. krimzon
    Oct 11, 2016
    9
    If in many years time people forget what M83 are capable of, this album will stand there. Where music touches your soul - it's an album very very very close to being perfect.
  20. LawrenceP
    Aug 1, 2004
    8
    Best electronica LP of the year??? I think so.
  21. All_ButTrU4
    Dec 20, 2021
    8
    this album sounds absolutely huge, its relentless attention to detail eclipsed only by the stunning emotional power it conveys.
  22. JerradH
    Aug 1, 2004
    5
    I like the quality and the instrumentation, but the melodies sound very flat and uninspired, and after a few listens, it all sounds very plain and blah. There's just not enough musical variation, and too many of the instruements play the exact same note throughout each song.
  23. frightopia
    Jun 25, 2023
    5
    It was certainly a beautiful album all around, it just unfortunately seemed very repetitive and started to get a little boring.
  24. turtlehead
    Feb 21, 2006
    3
    every few months i will put this on again, attempting to figure out what exactly is so appealing about it. I can't believe every person who gave this a 9 or 10 would have were it not for the huge critical reception. I find it almost impossible to make it from one end of the album to the other. Despite it being synthesized organ tones, it somehow manages to be more abrasive -- every few months i will put this on again, attempting to figure out what exactly is so appealing about it. I can't believe every person who gave this a 9 or 10 would have were it not for the huge critical reception. I find it almost impossible to make it from one end of the album to the other. Despite it being synthesized organ tones, it somehow manages to be more abrasive -- probably a result of its one (1) dynamic -- than any punk or metal or noise I've heard. Nobody I know ever actually listens to this. M83 did a song called "slowly" that i love, a good party song, but this album just wallows. I just wanted to say, to anyone considering buying this, to listen to some of it first, because its not really relaxing, interesting, fun...it's huge synth organs with synth blips and bleeps. you've been warned. DO NOT believe the hype surrounding this album. if you want epic, get some godspeed, if transcendant, maybe johann johannsen or the soundtrack to 2001 or something. The rating of their follow-up album reflects how well the debut keeps, i think. Cut the gimmick loose.… Expand
  25. GeorgeFK3
    Feb 2, 2004
    2
    Such a disappointment after the brilliance of their first album. This is their "Truman Show" whereas the first was "Wings of Desire". Too overproduced for my tastes.
  26. jeb
    Jul 1, 2004
    0
    I have no idea why so many people like this album. It has no dynamics. Everything is so formulaic and gimmicky. It's like they took Massive Attack, Radiohead and Death in Vegas and pressed the morph button. There's no soul or originality here at all. I like electronic music. I like all kinds of music but this is just disgusting. Everything's so formulaic. There's only I have no idea why so many people like this album. It has no dynamics. Everything is so formulaic and gimmicky. It's like they took Massive Attack, Radiohead and Death in Vegas and pressed the morph button. There's no soul or originality here at all. I like electronic music. I like all kinds of music but this is just disgusting. Everything's so formulaic. There's only the glint of marketing. I'm embarassed for all these tone deaf music critics. … Expand

Awards & Rankings

21
#21 Best Album of 2004
73
#73 Most Discussed Album of 2004
26
#26 Most Shared Album of 2004

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
86

Universal acclaim - based on 15 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 15
  3. Negative: 0 out of 15
  1. Stylus Magazine
    90
    Although at times M83 evoke Jean-Michel Jarre or Air, this is far from being an album of Franco-synth by numbers; it is the layered, hypertextual futurism of My Bloody Valentine and Brian Eno which seeps through the electronic Gallic gauze as the most palpable influences.
    Read full review
  2. No Ripcord
    90
    In Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts, M83 have created an ethereal electronic masterpiece, and one which, thankfully, doesn't sound like a relic from the Warp Records back catalogue.
    Read full review
  3. Pitchfork
    92
    Simply put, this album sounds absolutely huge, its relentless attention to detail eclipsed only by the stunning emotional power it conveys.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »