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Band/Artist: Daft Punk

Origins: Paris, France

Founded: 1993

Members:

Thomas Bangalter

Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo

Studio albums: 4

Active: No

In a lot of ways, I regard Daft Punk the Tool of their respective field. What I mean by that is, in terms of how they created and released music, it was always an event in the industry – as if the world stopped turning for a brief moment so all eyes could be locked onto what they were doing. That’s because, like Tool, they carved out a venerable reputation for themselves that was known for innovation and quality, with their meagre catalogue of music only adding to the fervent demand for more of it. When they released an album you knew, the wait was worth it. Daft Punk formed in Paris in 1993, however it would take four years before the enigmatic duo would release Homework, a trend that would follow suit for the two albums that succeeded the 1997 debut, followed by an eight year wait for their ambitious final record, Random Access Memories. Similarities in a lean catalogue aside, at one point both acts sold fans an enigmatic mystique that made their image and music all the more alluring. The difference is that, unlike Tool, Daft Punk never broke the act. In the adolescent age of the internet, Tool did indeed have a mysterious shroud over its members, in an attempt to let the music do the talking over the fans focusing on the members that created it. However, the proliferation of the internet being in everyone’s day-to-day lives has eroded the act away to where Tool is pretty transparent with its fans now. Credit to Daft Punk, the duo never broke the act, and, as far as I can tell, it was only in 2023 where Thomas broke his anonymity to allow for his solo work to flourish and move away from his previous creation. Nevertheless, their alluring image, astounding live shows and incredible talents have solidified Daft Punk’s name in the history books, so come into the examination room with me where we’ll look at their body of work and find out what’s what.             

Homework (1997)

 

The Doctor’s rating: 3/5

Analysis: I’ll be honest; while I enjoy and appreciate Homework for delivering a solid slab of dance, this isn’t exactly in my wheelhouse or something I’d outwardly look to listen to on the day-to-day. The main issue I have with this type of music is it’s very much a “live experience” you enjoy mashed out of your face with friends and strangers alike. Being sat on your own at 5am, wrapped up in your favourite soft jumper with a black coffee in your hand isn’t exactly the intended environment for this album’s repetitive, hypnotic trance and acid house styles. Furthermore, Homework is a myopic project when compared to future works. While disco, pop and funk play a part on this 1997 debut, it’s far more prevalent and important elsewhere in their catalogue. “Da Funk” and “Around the World” are foreshadowing for the 2001 classic, Discovery, and there are a number of cool moments on here, like the bass-driven funk on “Burnin’” and the moody synth banger “Alive”, but overall, this is the kind of stuff you vibe to in a sweaty warehouse.

Prescription: Homework isn’t something you listen to on your own, it’s a dance experience best enjoyed hitting the dance floor. There are pertinent elements of their genius on here, but for the most part this record focuses on a small portion of their talents. Spin once and see how you get on.

Discovery (2001)

 

The Doctor’s rating: 5/5

Analysis: Discovery comes from listening to the room and developing and expanding on a sound based off Homework’s strengths. In essence, “Da Funk” and “Around the World” form the basis for all of Discovery’s songs going forward, and frankly, the results are timeless. Daft Punk’s sophomore effort is a perfect amalgamation of Homework’s greatest assets mixed with a much heavier disco funk and pop influence. Vocal samples play a central role and serve to ground the tunes, offering up an experience that avoids the repetitious loops associated with the duo’s debut record. In short, Discovery is filled with cover-to-cover bangers that display Daft Punk operating on all cylinders. A powerful, upbeat energy permeates the record throughout; its unfaltering sashaying grooves and accessible presentations ensure that it’ll keep your attention, and, ironically, if the two standout tracks on Homework foreshadow this album’s brilliance, Discovery does an excellent job of predicting the band’s future, with a plethora of instrumentation not too dissimilar to that of a soundtrack (which as we know, alludes to the fantastic Tron soundtrack they’d go on to create in nine years’ time). Underneath the sensational hooks and commanding grooves, there’s a rich tapestry of sci-fi atmosphere and poignant, dystopian-tinged synth work that adds a complexity that would run rings round its predecessor. Overall, Discovery is a bona fide classic and a beast of its own. It caters to the Homework audience and doesn’t stray far away from that record’s blueprint as such, but the success comes from how it puts those influences on the backburner to allow a deluge of futuristic disco-funk and accessible pop hooks to take centre stage. The result is a far more intricate and fully realised record with tangible substance to it, all executed in a way that has a much wider reach and appeal to people outside of house, techno and dance.

Prescription: A barnstorming successor that fully understands where it needed to go stylistically.  Spin 3-4 times a day for a week, then listen to it as necessary.

Human After All (2005) 

The Doctor’s rating: 3.5/5

Analysis: By all accounts, Human After All, as a follow-up to Discovery, is a colossal failure on every level and misses the mark by a considerable margin. That being said; as a Daft Punk album, the duo’s third LP is still a decent offering filled with some cool moments that push them creatively. Human After All is a more rock-driven record, filled with ideas that border on Black Sabbath worship at times. The guitar and bass play a central role, with some sharp guitar licks on the likes of “Robot Rock” and “Television Rules the Nation”, and plenty of squelchy basslines to maintain the robot vibe being carried out throughout. The main problem I have with this record is it feels like the duo discovered a flanger pedal for the first time and loved it so much they had to stick it on every single track. The biggest caveat with this approach is the tracklisting feels detrimentally homogenous, the heavy reliance on the pedal creates pernicious results that make the songs fall a little flat at times. Still, the leaner run time and focus on this new rock style works to their advantage and brings a different perspective to the table. However, there aren’t that many standout moments that blow you away; this is just competently executed stuff that does the job.

Prescription: A solid effort, but one that hinders the momentum they were building up to. Better than Homework, but a disappointing follow up to Discovery. Spin one-to-two times a day and see how you get on.

Tron: Legacy (2010)

The Doctor’s rating: 4.5/5

Analysis: I remember going to the cinema to see Tron: Legacy and being blown away by the movie. The soundtrack in particular really resonated with me, and I walked away from the film buying the soundtrack on CD and listening to it in my car frequently for many years. Fast forward seven-or-so-years, where I rewatched the movie for the first time since its initial release, and I realised the film wasn’t as good as I once thought. In fact, it was the pesky case of a score doing the heavy lifting and elevating the movie to a higher opinion. Indeed, the movie is fairly mid if I’m honest, but the score still remains an absolute triumph. As I touched on in Discovery, you can tell the boys had the capacity to write a soundtrack, the songs on that album are drenched in emotion and mood, all they had to do was wait for the right opportunity to prove their worth. What makes Tron: Legacy so engaging is it seamlessly blends their famous electronic modus operandi with a full orchestra; the results being very effective. It’s a surprisingly poignant score that has Daft Punk’s glitchy, computer game electronics interacting with the warm string arrangements and swelling synths that billow across the high-tech landscape. It’s like a cross between the first Deus Ex soundtrack and a Hans Zimmer score. Plenty of high-octane moments to experience on here, in the vein of what makes Daft Punk who they are, but the orchestra behind their downcast contributions creates a vastly unique product that has passionately endured with fans ever since its release.

Prescription: A fantastic score that still holds up. Whether you’re a fan of the band or a soundtrack lover, this album deserves your attention.

Random Access Memories (2013)

The Doctor’s rating: 5/5

Analysis: One could argue Daft Punk saw the writing on the wall and knew they had one final statement left in them before calling it quits. Random Access Memories is a culmination of the knowledge and skills procured over the course of Daft Punk’s career; the apotheosis of their creative aspirations and abilities, laying down one final album before calling it a day. Random Access Memories is a masterclass in songwriting, plainly utilising their lived experiences with Tron: Legacy to create this rich, layered, disparate and intricately woven experience, crafted with the utmost prudence and maturity. It’s a far cry to the adolescent dance tunes of Homework or the party anthems of Discovery. What Random Access Memories confidently offers music listeners is a well-rounded peregrination with unforgettable twists and turns that encompasses a wide range of styles, from jazz, pop, rock, classical and disco, to name a handful. What may put people off this album is its lack of agency. Random Access Memories doesn’t rush – it’s placid disposition may alienate those in search of music that raises your heart rate. Ironically, it’s the antithesis to Homework, in that Homework is a very physical experience, designed to be heard in an unventilated, sweaty warehouse. Here, I can sit on my own at 5am, wrapped up in my favourite soft jumper with a black coffee and experience the lowkey subtleties and warm instrumentation being dispersed. Random Access Memories is a fully realised experience that highlights the raw talent within Daft Punk. It’s the music man’s album: if you’re after cheap thrills and a surface level endorphin release, with the exception of the summer banger “Get Lucky” and “Doin’ it Right”, there are no exceptions being made. Progressive epics like “Giorgio by Moroder”, “Touch” and “Beyond” feel like melted butter is being poured into your ears. A sophisticated sound palette is used, with a perfect production that fastidiously captures every note and beat with care. If you’re looking for the album experience, look no further. It might not have rip-roaring dance anthems, but frankly that was clearly never the intention. It’s clear Daft Punk wanted to make an album that pushed their creative capacity to the zenith of their abilities, offering an expansive journey that will stay with you long after hearing it and honestly, its machinations succeed.

Prescription: Get a good set of noise-cancelling headphones on and shut yourself off to the world with Daft Punk’s career-defining swansong. Spin as necessary.

Doctor’s Notes:

Strengths:

• Daft Punk had a burning desire to constantly move forwards, even when it didn’t always pay off.
• Their career has been made on their own terms, making innovative music that pushed the boundaries.
• Some of the greatest electronic music ever made.

Weaknesses: 

• Homework and Human After All are solid in their own right, but they lack the ambition and astute execution of all their other work.

Diagnosis: Don’t get me wrong, Daft Punk are not infallible, they’ve got a couple of lukewarm moments in their history. However, on the whole, when they get it right – which is most of the time – the results are simply spellbinding. All of the best acts throughout music history have one thing in common – they never sit on their laurels. Daft Punk always tried to make something new and different, whether it paid off or not. Their restraint to only make a handful of records worked in their favour too, and the fact they ended on such an experimental and risky album speaks volumes of their artistry. True visionaries that deserve every morsal of adulation they’ve garnered.