M83’s I Wrote You a Letter Is a Living Record
Daniel Corretjer-Rios
Position
September 28, 2026
M83 has been around for decades, but not without making noise. Ever since the release and commercial success of their hit album, Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming, M83 has been known for creating expansive, emotional, and almost intergalactic music. I Wrote You a Letter continues that same tradition, but parts of it make for some of the most transcendent music Anthony Gonzalez has put out to date.
“Blister Sunrise” opens the record in an almost hostile manner. Loud brass instruments arrive as if they’re coming from a higher power. Then appear vocals so distant that the listener can barely make out the words, but loud enough for the emotion behind them to remain clear. The track then zooms in intimately, with the focus cast only on a serene and lonesome piano. With the help of all the other elements in this track, this introduction immediately immerses the listener into this astral and euphoric world.
Then comes “Opera,” which begins as an echo chamber of synths for almost too long. The ringing is persistent, almost dragging on for two whole minutes, but as soon as the listener begins to feel slightly impatient, a beautiful buildup starts to take shape. It consists of chopped-up vocals and amazing synth work that feels like it evokes a sense of ascension. But it doesn’t quite seem to resolve into something grand. Instead, it keeps going through this cycle of buildup, breakdown, buildup, breakdown, over and over again. It may feel anti-climactic, but its humility is what makes this song so hypnotic.
“Siren / Behold…Beasts” is the album’s most fully realized moment, even acting as a statement. It’s calm, then aggressive, then nurturing, then violent. There is a central saxophone throughout the entirety of the track, and just like the listener, it is phasing in and out of peace. The saxophone goes from sounding troublesome to holding notes that offer great resolution.
But at this very moment, something becomes clear to the listener. The effort put into making such celestial, environmental, and conscious music was purposeful. The themes of peace and chaos are perfect because that’s what makes our surroundings so marvelous. It’s this dichotomy where only the former gets credit for what’s beautiful, but M83 captures both with such affinity and precision.
The album then begins to coast. Songs like “Aged” and “Losing Ground” repeat the same formula with even less material to distinguish them from the rest of the record. In no way, shape, or form are these bad tracks; the production remains gorgeous throughout. Nevertheless, in the context of what came before them, they feel like filler with a dazzling outer shell. The album’s middle section is where I Wrote You a Letter loses its footing as it cycles through its themes without finding new ways to portray them.
“Feeding Time” is the album’s most dynamic piece. It moves from a sweet harp accompanied by distorted and disorienting vocals straight into punchy drums with an intense cadence. But then it all comes to a sudden stop. Then comes another buildup, but this time around, it feels deserved. The song carried so much momentum and came to such a sharp halt. So, just like some other songs on this album, a string-filled resolution is earned and perfectly executed.
Finally, “Traces of Love” closes everything with almost nothing at all. It’s serene, tranquil, and completely at peace. It has no grand buildup. It has no peak. It just slowly brings the listener back to the world they came from.
I Wrote You a Letter is a living record. It carries elements that describe life and the world so perfectly. The record seamlessly showcases a world filled with disorder and harmony. It justifies every moment of patience it demands. And at its worst, it’s an album that mistakes atmosphere for momentum.
Edited by: Jade Read
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