Rank: 3/5
Those hoping M83’s newest record would be reminiscent of 2011’s masterful “Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming,” which included the group’s breakout single “Midnight City,” might be slightly disappointed with “Junk.”
That’s not to say that “Junk” has no merits of its own, but the disjointed and downright wacky flow of the album song-to-song can make for a tough listen.
As erratic as the project feels at certain points, it’s held together by its style of explosive pop bangers and dreamy synthesizers throughout.
Two of the album’s singles, “Do It, Try It” and “Go!” make it very clear what M83 is hoping to achieve with “Junk.” As if the goofy album cover didn’t explain enough on its own. The album never takes itself too seriously, although some sections of the project feel a bit weightier than others.
In particular, the album features a handful of extended instrumental sections that often feel playful, mystical and, at times, hypnotic. I prefer these more abstract efforts to the pop tracks that, although fascinating, usually fall short of achieving anything spectacular.
Thankfully, there is no shortage of experimental tunes here. For instance, M83 and Mai Lan deliver a memorable performance on “Bibi The Dog” that features French lyrics and instrumentals reminiscent of some of the most iconic ‘80s pop dance hits.
In the album’s press materials, M83’s Anthony Gonzales called “Junk” an “organized mess” and a “collection of songs that aren’t made to live with each other, yet somehow work together.” The fact that Gonzales is aware of the album’s mash-up nature makes it difficult to complain — it’s probably the best that it could possibly be with a concept like that.
“Junk” can be recommended to anyone looking to embark on a sometimes epic and confusing musical journey, although I’m willing to bet not many people will ever find themselves revisiting the album for repeated listens.