With heavy disco-funk influences and hypnotic collaborations with some fan favorite artists, electronic dance duo Daft Punk has returned with their fourth album “Random Access Memories.”
Run by French house music masters Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter, the album has remained at the No.1 spot since its late May release. Last time the duo was on the radar was 2010 when they were creating electronic themes for the Disney movie Tron Legacy. Since their last project, the group has matured yet still maintains their French house music roots. Their lyricism is much more apparent in this year’s release, almost as if the artists have metaphorically removed their robotic masks and revealed a side of their human selves.
Tracks “Within” and “Game of Love” are the more melancholy songs on the album, with the most pressing lyrics when compared to the other tracks. The probing lyrics are a melancholy personal ode to soul searching. While the track is not as upbeat as other songs on the album, the short melody is a necessary composition representing a time of doubt all people experience at some point in their lifetime.
It’s different compared to past projects such as “Discovery” and ironically titled “Human After All,” which is a mash-up of synthesized beats and heavy bass overtones with inaudible vocals. The genius part of the album is that while “Random Access Memories” is an easier album to adjust to musically, the tracks can still be played in packed clubs on late nights.
Then there’s the array of guest appearances, including rapper/ product and N.E.R.D. front man Pharrell Williams and the Stroke’s Julian Casablancas, as well as 70’s producer and musician Nile Rodgers, who found success through his collaborations with legends such as Diana Ross, David Bowie and Duran Duran.
The most notable track on “Random Access Memories” is “Get Lucky” featuring Mr. Williams’ signature falsetto over an old-school, disco beat. It’s a change from past successful singles such as “One More Time” and “Harder Better Faster Stronger,” which both featured a definitive electronic sound rather than the funk that inspired much of the band’s other music. Regardless of the different feel, the song is still a fun track and for once the duo’s music is touching an audience outside of the French house music clubs.
Their new sound couldn’t have come at a better time. The artists have been seen as innovators throughout their career, spitting out singles that, while familiar across the Atlantic, were foreign and futuristic to many American ears. Then came compositions such as “RAM” and “Human After All,” and Daft Punk’s familiar charm seemed lacking. The songs were missing a certain spark, and their once-eager listeners took notice. Thus when the release of Tron Legacy occurred, the mention of Daft Punk’s name was nothing more than a short chime of nostalgia that dissipated as quickly as it came.
The hard part of artistry is preventing a plateau of creativity, and for a short while Daft Punk failed to continue their musical progress. Luckily “Random Access Memories” was born and set the two back on the upswing of musical progression and experimentation. While not every song on the new album is a hit, the record proves that embracing the past could be the perfect antidote to musical stagnation.
