This week Daft Punk released their long-awaited fourth studio LP, Random Access Memories. The LP has been built up throughout the entirety of 2013 thus far and as such has been one of the most anticipated, controversial, and polarizing releases in quite some time. From the preliminary "Get Lucky" trailers (which I personally must have watched over 200 times, no joke) to the rumored SXSW shows to the in-depth "Collaborators" series, it has been impossible to avoid Daft Punk even with a strong effort. Now that the album has been officially released and we've had time to soak it in, it's time to share our thoughts.
As you may well know, Daft Punk has shifted directions with the new album. After the honestly underwhelming Human After All, Random Access Memories sees the group channeling previous eras as they bring together elements of psychedelic rock, new wave, disco, and funk. Surely Homework and Discovery were great albums and landmarks in their own right, but it's Random Access Memories that is perhaps the duo's magnum opus. The album surely has great singles like the infectious "Get Lucky" or "Lose Yourself To Dance," but it also has tender notes like the Paul Williams-vocoded "Touch" or the instant classic "Giorgio by Moroder." Listening to this album, it's clear that Thomas and Guy-Man took care of each note on this album, using their delicate touch throughout, letting their true musicality shine. Daft Punk lets a pronounced artistry illuminate every track, with advanced counterpoint melodies, shuffled and swinging percussion, selected silences, and a seductively refreshing vibe that can only be described as love. With Random Access Memories, Daft Punk defies any pre-conceived notions of EDM and does away with genres altogether, showing a true evolution in Daft Punk's style. The sort of musical evolution is rarefied in today's digital single-driven world.
A far cry from the spectacle that was the 2007 Alive tour, Random Access Memories is Daft Punk's attempt to re-calibrate the music scene and the way the album is approached. As such, the album is really a throwback to the 1970's concept album-oriented progressive rock era in which bands like Pink Floyd released Dark Side Of The Moon or The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. This is not to say that Random Access Memories is on the iconic level of the previously-mentioned albums, as it can be rather vapid at times. The album is light and breezy, and as a result may not stand the test of time as it ultimately has nothing to say. An exercise in sonic wonder and excellent public relations and marketing, Random Access Memories won't soon be forgotten, but not necessarily exclusively for the music.
With the hype surrounding the LP, it would have been impossible to live up to the standards and yet, here we are. The album is at once intended for mass-crossover, while simultaneously not intended for mass-consumption. The album is the perfect soundtrack for your summer seductions as well as your lonely late night musings.
With Random Access Memories, Daft Punk has injected a sense of humanity into the often-robotic dance music scene. Ironic considering their robotic roots, but perhaps that's what makes it more poignant.
