Album Review: Daft Punk: Random Access Memories

By Matt Rosser

          Today, there are many electronic artists out there. But there is one duo that has been keeping it up for 20 years! That duo is French musicians Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter, or more popularly known as Daft Punk. Daft Punk started getting popular in the late 1990’s, when French house music started to enfold. They combine anything from just regular house or more funk elements as well. The first album Daft Punk released was the critically acclaimed, Homework. The album was regarded as an innovative synthesis of techno, house, acid house and electro styles, and is widely acknowledged as one of the most influential dance music albums of the nineties. After Homework, Daft Punk started making a second album right away. Discovery was the name of the next album, which took on a different approach than their last album. They seemed to combine a 70s and 80s feel to it, using samples from these eras to really capture what they were going for. Many of the tracks on this album reached number one on Billboard’s Top singles such as ,”One more time” or “Face to Face.” Which were played frequently at many clubs across the world. Human After All was the next album Daft Punk would release. This album got various mixed reviews but still had very popular singles such as “Technologic” or “Prime Time of your Life.” At the 2009 San Diego Comic-Con, it was announced that the duo composed 24 tracks for the film Tron: Legacy. The members of Daft Punk also make a cameo appearance as disc jockey programs wearing their trademark robot masks within the film's virtual world.

                A few weeks ago, Daft Punk released their new album, Random Access Memories. This album excited many Daft Punk fans (including me) because it was their newest actual album since 2009. The first track on this album is entitled “Give Life Back to Music” which seems to start out as a 80s rock song but then transitions into a groovy, disco kind of tune. The second track is called “The Game Of Love” which has slow tempo and a 70s funk feel to it. The third song on the album is named “Georgio by Moroder” which features an intro by famous electronic/disco producer Giovanni Georgio Moroder. In this intro, he talks about how he got into the dance/discotheque scene. In the first few minutes of the song, it is a general beat with a synthesizer that has been looped (repeated). Then it seems to into a latin jazz beat. There is a break where Georgio talks again, then the song comes back in with a progressive rock feel to it that ends the song.



Daft Punk's new album cover
Image courtesy Daftpunk.com



         The next song “Within” is a slow, piano-based song with an auto tuned voice singing. “Instant Crush” is the next track on the album which features lead singer Julian Casablancas of The Strokes. This song has Casablancas singing to a basic beat which almost sounds like what his band would do but with a more disco feel to it. The next tune on the album is “Lose Yourself to Dance” which is one of the more popular songs on this album. This song features famous rapper/singer Pharrell Williams who adds a very exciting and powerful sound to it. The guitar adds a very funky sounding vibe to the song which would want people to, well, dance! The next track on the album is “Touch” which features famous songwriter/composer Paul Williams who adds almost like a melancholy sound to the song. It features Williams singing in the beginning by himself but then the song breaks into a disco, 70s feel to the song which would want to make anyone dance. The famous, “Get Lucky”, is the next song on the album which features Pharrell Williams. The style of the guitar adds a very disco/funk mood to the song which is probably why it has been so popular. “Beyond” is the next song on the album. It starts out with an explosion of orchestral instruments. It then goes into a slow, funk tunes which the bass guitar really seems to capture. The next track is “Motherboard” which seems almost like a soft, progressive rock song with the drummer using brushes to emphasize the sound and so does the keyboard. “Fragments of Time” comes next featuring famous producer/singer Todd Edwards. This song seems to send you back to the 80s. It just has that 80s disco feel to it.  The next song is “Doin’ It Right” featuring lead singer of Animal Collective, Panda Bear. This song seems to have a more hip-hop beat behind it. But Panda Bear really kicks it up a notch with his vocals. He almost gives the song a 80s new wave feel. Last but certainly not least, the last song of the album, “Contact”. It starts with what seems like a pilot reporting the sighting of a UFO. Then it fades out into a synth playing that sets an almost outer space ambience to the song. Then the song picks up with a up tempo drum beat with the synth playing right behind it. Towards the end of the song, it keeps building up and building up until it cuts out to distorted sounds that sound like a spaceship is in the midst of taking of. Then the song cuts out.

                This album completely and utterly blew me away. I was totally happy with what Daft Punk had produced. It’s not Discovery but it’s pretty close to it! The first time I popped this into my cd player in my car, I heard the beginning of the first track and I knew what I was in for. My favorite thing about this album is that they had different musicians come in and use live instruments. So you’re hearing actual guitar, actual drums, actual bass guitar, but most importantly you’re hearing Daft Punk! What I think is next for them is that they will definitely go on tour in the near future because of this newly released album. I will most definitely will see them if they come around. I loved this album, and it will not come out of my car’s CD player for quite a while.