Over the span of two decades, M83 has firmly established himself as an artist whose work transcends mere escapism in favor of full-on worldbuilding. Whether it be via his celebrated studio albums, film soundtracks, or compositions for stage productions, Gonzalez has proven that nothing surpasses his ability to perfectly encapsulate a specific time, emotion, or sense of place. This has led him to become a GRAMMY-nominated musical juggernaut who has headlined Los Angeles’s famed Hollywood Bowl, wowed audiences across the globe, and sold over a million units of his 2011 album, Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming.

For Gonzalez, Fantasy’s direction and aesthetic were immediately clear. “I wanted this record to be very impactful live,” he says. “The idea was to come back with something closer to the energy of Before The Dawn Heals Us. The combination of guitars and synths is always in my music, but it’s maybe more present on this new record than on the previous ones.”

Gonzalez also sought to continue a trend that has become more prominent in his recent albums. “I wanted to be more present lyrically and vocally” he states. “I thought if I could achieve that, this album will be more personal than those that came before.” To capture the exuberance of his dazzling live performances, Gonzalez altered his typical recording process. “I would usually write the demos and then go to my producer to start working on an album,” he details. “But this time was a little different. I just wanted to feel the energy of other musicians. The feeling of musicians playing together is something that was missing a bit.”