Give your tears to the tide
No time
No time
There’s no end, there is no goodbye
Disappear with the night
No time
No time
No time
No time
No time
“Wait” by M83 is classified as multiple genres on the internet, but the genre that I think is most fitting is Dream Pop. Dream Pop is a subgenre of alternative rock that utilizes guitar driven pop hooks in combination with reverb-packed atmospheres and psychedelic production. Common features of this genre include an emphasis on atmospheric effects, mixtures of synthesizers and guitars, as well as airy, ethereal voices singing about philosophical, abstract ideas (MasterClass). “Wait” follows these conventions quite tightly as there is an apparent emphasis on atmosphere, a blend of guitar and synths, abstract ideas, and an airy lead voice. As far as deterring from the Dream Pop genre, “Wait” does not have any obvious elements that do not fit into the Dream Pop genre.
As we can see in the lyrics above, “Wait” has very few words compared to other songs, which gives listeners time to digest and think about the lyrics in between lines. The meaning of the lyrics are quite abstract, but there is clearly an emphasis on the concept of time. It seems that the song conveys a lack of time (perhaps in this life) as it repeats “No time” over and over. The overall message I interpret from the song is to live your life as if there is no time left, and to let go of any traumas and anything that is keeping your mind stuck in the past. The sonic elements in the song contribute to this message by creating a larger-than-life atmosphere. The song engulfs you when you listen to it, and it leaves you feeling with a sense of profoundness despite the vague lyrics.
Since the lyrics in this song are so abstract, I think they can be received quite differently by listeners. For instance, I think one could read these lyrics in a more grim light. The lyrics “No time” and “Disappear with the night” could be perceived with implications of suicide, which is far different than my interpretation of the song. Evidently, such an abstract song could be queered in an assortment of ways by listeners, which is what makes music like this so special and potentially personal for a wide variety of people.