Over the span of two decades, M83 has firmly established himself as an artist whose work transcends mere escapism in favour 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. For Gonzalez, 'Fantasy''s direction and aesthetic were immediately clear. 'I wanted this record to be very impactful live' he says. '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'.