The men of Daft Punk thrive off of mystery: in fact they’ve
built a career upon the unknown. It is fitting, then, that the details of the
French dance duo’s fourth LP, titled Random
Access Memories (Columbia/ Daft Life) have been shrouded in ambiguity. The
frenzied quest to uncover information about the album began when Saturday Night Live began airing short
clips of a shimmering Daft Punk logo, with what would become the lead single
“Get Lucky" playing in the background. Longer clips were released, featuring
the helmeted-pair themselves along with RAM
guest Pharrell Williams and finally, a post on the video-sharing app Vine,
featuring the complete tracklist, along with the names of the many guests
featured on the album. Leading up to the late-May release date, the duo,
comprised of Frenchmen Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter, have
been releasing videos highlighting the collaborators Daft Punk have worked with
in recording and producing the album, featuring the likes of Nile Rodgers,
Panda Bear, from Animal Collective, and Giorgio Morodor.
The
opening track “Give Life Back to Music” immediately warns the listener of a new
direction, one that is constant throughout the entire album. After opening with
an arena-rock riff, the tune settles into a loose groove of guitar, keys, and
live drums (a place Daft Punk finds themselves many times throughout RAM.) The anthemic rock returns as Chic
guitar wizard makes his first appearance, peppering the opening track with his
signature sound.
“The
Game of Love” features a style almost non-existent in today’s power-pop EDM: a
ballad. On the track, Daft Punk’s recognizable Auto-Tuned vocals lilt over a
steady, percussive beat. “Giorgio by
Morodor” features Moroder, an Italian songwriter/ producer, himself. The song
is a tribute to the title’s namesake, who has collaborated with stars such as
late disco singer Donna Summer. The track features spoken-word vocals by the
producer, who recounts his first experiences with making music.
“Instant
Crush” featuring Strokes frontman Julian Casablancas, could be easily mistaken
for Top 40 pop, and features vocals from Casablancas that balance both the
soulful side of his voice, along with slight “pitch-correction” Auto-Tune
throughout. The lyrics detail a complicated
relationship, with a refreshing guitar solo further reinforcing the emphasis on
live instrumentation. “Lose Yourself to Dance” features the album’s standout guest,
Pharrell Williams, urging the listener to “Take a break/ Lose yourself to dance”
in his smooth falsetto, over a supporting rhythm of guitars, handclaps, and
drums.
The
lead single and standout track ‘Get Lucky” has been circulating under the radar
as the background music for the cryptic SNL
ads, and features Williams as lead vocalist. The track settles into a fantastic groove from
the start, and features the talented vocals of Williams. “Get Lucky” is perhaps
the shining tribute to classic 70’s and 80’s disco/dance music, featuring the
catchy chorus “She’s up all night to the sun/ I’m up all night to get some/ She’s
up all night for good fun/ We’re up all night to get lucky.”
“Contact”,
Random Access Memories’ closing
track, begins with shimmering keyboards, and features the album’s only sample-
a recording from an outer space launch.
The track picks up speed, featuring stellar drum fills, and arpeggiated
synthesizers. RAM ends with a bang, the
sounds of a space shuttle departing from Earth, which highlights the
instrumentals, building tension and suspense throughout an explosive song.
Daft Punk’s
last “unofficial” release, the soundtrack to the 2010 film Tron: Legacy was met with mixed reviews, but the duo took time to
craft their fourth LP into an excellent release. Random Access Memories marks a distinct change from the sound on
1997’s Homework and 2001’s Discovery, albums which produced such
hits as “Around the World” and “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger.”
Bangalter and Homem-Christo laid the groundwork for what Electronic Dance Music
has become today, yet with one time-warping release, they have rewritten the
rules of dance music. David Guetta and Calvin Harris take note- Daft Punk is
back, and ready to reclaim their genre. Overall, Random Access Memories is an essential album, highlighting Daft
Punk’s musical creativity and versatility. Listen to "Get Lucky" featuring Pharrell Williams below.
~TJM
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