I think you may have worked out by my live review the other week of M83 at London’s Scala, that I love the elfin Frenchman and his unique brand of shoegaze. Things just seem to be getting better and better for Anthony Gonzalez this year, having released one of the most critically acclaimed albums of the year (the amazing Saturdays=Youth, which you should buy if you haven’t already got a copy) and slowly making his way into the public consciousness.

To celebrate the amazing year, M83 are releasing new single “We Own The Sky” on Monday 1st December, along with Maps’ remix of the title track, previously available on a swap-mix 7” on Sonic Cathedral and described by the NME as “a space-disco rager” plus brand new song Je Vous Hais Petites Filles and ParkerLab’s Dusted remix of Graveyard Girl. Whilst Je Vous Hais Petites Filles is distinctly B-side material, Maps’ remix is worth the single alone - amaaaaaazing to say the least.

There isn’t an official video to go with the release, however there is a competition on youtube for people to enter videos - full details are here.

Anthony and his band of merry-makers are off on tour in December supporting the amazing Kings of Leon on their UK jaunt - Jared Followill recently said of M83, “You have to dive into “Saturdays = Youth”… They switch off between a guy and a girl on vocals, and they have such amazing sounds. They’re very experimental. This band sounds like they invented the sounds… When I first heard some of their lyrics, I got chill bumps.” (New York Times)

M83’s We Own The Sky is out on Monday 1st December on Mute records.

This week I’ve had a bit of a shoegazy week this week, having caught M83 and had them and My Bloody Valentine on pretty much repeat. So imagine my happiness at working my way through my EP pile this morning to find a four track EP by Mancunians Easter that has me staring at my shoes, dazed and relaxed.

Opening with the 8 and a half minute epic “Don’t Sink”, lead singer Tom Long sounds a tiny bit like Snow Patrol’s Gary Lightbody, which is no bad thing, fitting the dream-seeking melodies perfectly. It’s just the perfect end-of night comedown, or Sunday morning wake up collection, helping you reflect on times gone by and the perfect anthem to that indie film that not many people will see, but all who do love.

Icy sharp guitars throughout, normally I’d be recoiling at the overuse of them but somehow they just about manage to pull off the My-Bloody Valentine lite sound of multi-layered effects.

Though relatively short, the 25 minute EP gives us a great taster of what’s to come for the lads - surely it’s just a matter of time before those A&R men descend in a feeding flurry.

Easter’s Hob Talk EP is now available from Manchester’s Piccadilly Records, Leeds’ Normal Records and Crash Records, London’s Sister Ray and Rough Trade, Bolton’s X Records, and Glasgow and Edinburgh’s Avalanche Records. Copies are also available from their Myspace.

I’ve always been a fan of the quieter, more chilled bands that come and go, gaining themselves cult status whilst not many hard-core fans. One of my most recent finds is the rather marvellous Kyte, a quintet from Leicestershire who specialise in a unique brand of shoe-gaze, dreamy and haunting and beautiful all at once.

Perfect for just about any time of day or night, I found they sound amazing when listened to on the double decker back from London to Oxford late at night, a soundtrack to the lights and hubbub of the capital. Already the obvious comparisons have been made to Sigur Ros and the Radio Dept, they remind me of a British Tresspassers William, perfect for that winter evening in with a loved one, or a moment of introspection.

Unlike Sigur Ros however you don’t get the armageddon-is-nigh feeling that they do so well, instead a feeling of “mission completed”, a happiness that the world is a bit better, or at least a new day is dawning. Their tracks vary between instrumentals and quietly-hushed vocals, all of which mould together perfectly.

They’re currently touring heavily ahead of their debut mini album’s release next Monday, February 18^th (available from Amazon and co, but also from We Are Down With the Kids at £6). I’ve ordered two already, and expect a review next week once it’s popped through my front door. They’re touring throughout April with the rather marvellous iLiKETRAiNS (at any of these dates), so be sure to catch them then.

Can you tell I love these guys?