DAFT PUNK Vinyl & CDs

Review: It's difficult to ignore the sobering realisation that the swan song LP from French robo-duo Daft Punk is already celebrating its ten year anniversary. Although divisive amongst their fan base, the organic instrumentation and compositional homage to retro disco still feels like an artistic endeavour the pair of Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo needed to add to their back-catalogue before graciously bowing out (or powering down) on their own terms. Following an expansive deluxe edition released earlier in the year, this drumless version strips away any and all notable percussion to offer the velvety basslines, glistening synths and lush grooves a chance to take centre-stage. With re-imagined approaches to hits such as 'Instant Crush' (featuring The Strokes' Julian Casablancas) as well as the plethora of Pharrell Williams collaborative bangers from 'Lose Yourself To Dance' to the once inescapable 'Get Lucky' (also featuring Nile Rodgers of Chic), this project is a unique and vital addition for lifers, newcomers and boogie enthusiasts alike.

Review: Now celebrating its ten year anniversary, there's a sobering realisation to the fact that the swan song LP from French robo-duo Daft Punk is already a decade old. While divisive amongst the fan base, the organic instrumentation and sonic homage to classic disco still feels like a creative endeavour the pair of Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo needed to add to their catalogue before graciously bowing out (or powering down) on their own terms. Following the expansive deluxe edition already released earlier in the year, this drumless version strips away any and all notable percussion to allow the velvety basslines, glistening synths and retro grooves to take centre-stage. With re-imagined approaches to hits such as 'Instant Crush' (featuring The Strokes' Julian Casablancas) as well as the myriad of Pharrell Williams collaborative bangers from 'Lose Yourself To Dance' to the once inescapable 'Get Lucky', the project is a unique and vital addition for lifers, newcomers and boogie enthusiasts alike.

Review: We find it hard to believe it's taken Daft Punk all these years to compile all their favourite remixes of 'Homework' onto a single album, but they've finally done it. This up-and-comer remix double album compiles myriad interpretations of three of the helmed robo-crusaders' most iconic tunes - Around The World, Revolution 909 and Burnin', specifically - from artists as unexpected as DJ Sneak, I:Cube and Masters At Work. Don't miss this one, as it's set to be a raucous spinal-scratchy affair.

Review: 'Alive 2007' is known as one of the most influential live albums ever, and this new reissue via Daft Punk's parent label Daft Life cements that influence. Performed at the French venue Bercy, we feel much harder, better, faster and stronger as we listen eagerly to the the pair's signature talkboxes, samples and hooks, this time drenched in crowd jeers and natural reverb. In this instance, Daft Punk manipulated their established material, transposing and deconstructing the structures of their studio tracks and paving the way for the future of live electronic music performance.

Review: With each album, Daft Punk threw down something new for their mammoth fanbase to deal with. Never ones to repeat themselves or play it safe, Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo ruffled feathers when they followed up the pop-tastic heights of Discovery with the rock-tinted stylings of Human After All. In hindsight, with the world-beating project brought to an end, the album sounds like Daft Punk through and through, not least on lead single 'Robot Rock', but full credit to them for not taking the easy route to give the fans what they want. As we reflect on the legacy of one of the biggest dance acts of all time, it's a fine time to revisit this album with a sparkling new pressing as part of the Daft Life Ltd series.

Review: Fervent Daft Punk fans will be all over this collector's edition of the French duo's soundtrack for the Tron sequel! Spread across two heavyweight 180g slabs of vinyl housed in a gatefold sleeve, this edition features two previously unreleased tracks and a code to grab all thirty tracks on vinyl. Naturally, fans will already know that 'Derezzed' aside, this is strictly Daft Punk doing soundtrack material as opposed to Daft Punk doing new Daft Punk. Perhaps the most important thing about this release is the lack of any of those somewhat risible remixes that Disney insisted on releasing.

Review: The album that started it all for Daft Punk sure explains why they were one of the biggest acts in dance music for so long. Even now, all these years later, it is still a mind blowing work that blew electonic music wide open. Homework landed in 1997 and showcased astonishing production skills, a dizzyingly wide-array of influences and spawned plenty of stone cold dance classics such as 'Around The World,' 'Da Funk' and 'Teachers' which shouted out all of the French duo's biggest influences.

Review: Daft Punk's defining album comes directly from the horses' mouths, seeing a new vinyl edition in 2022 released via the ex-duo's own Daft Life Ltd. label. With no frills or fluff, every original track on their third album from 2001 appears here in crunching glory, not sounding an inch rougher or time-weathered. Aptly, 'Discovery' was described by the duo as a reflection of their childhood memories, when they listened to music with a more innocent ear; 20 years on, Discovery can certainly be said to have lived up to that original inspiration.

Review: Daft Punk may have put away their robot heads for good, but interest in their work and legacy remains high (as the recent announcement of a slew of books about them proves). It's for this reason that it's little surprise to see 2003 odds-and-ends album Daft Club get the reissue treatment. For the most part, what we get is remixes of tracks from the then-fresh Discovery LP, with highlights including the Neptunes' deep, warming, electro-meets-hip-hop revision of 'Harder, Better, Faster, Sronger' (complete with additional Pharrell vocals), a hard and loopy 'French touch' revision of 'Face To Face' from Demon, Slum Village's woozy electronic hip-hop take on 'Aerodynamic', a carnival-ready Basement Jazz tweak of Homework fave 'Phoenix' and a beat-less, guitar-and-voice cover of 'One More Time' courtesy of Romanthony.

Review: You might have heard about this LP..... After a pre-release campaign that took on Hollywood-esque proportions, French pair Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter return as Daft Punk with their fourth studio album Random Access Memories sporting a A-list cast of guests and contributors. Given the input of disco icons Giorgio Moroder and Nile Rogers it's entirely understandable that the overbearing sound on Random Access Memories is one of classic disco with lead single "Get Lucky" a good indicator for what to expect. There's also a smattering of yacht rock within the thirteen track set, whilst the ubiquitous Panda Bear turns up on the midnight stutter funk album highlight "Doin' It Right". Those expecting a return to Daft Punk's Homework heyday will be disappointed but Bangalter and de Homem-Christo are touching forty so the polished, expertly constructed disco direction makes perfect sense.

Review: So, after all the hype, social media arguments and YouTube parodies, here it is: the most talked about dance album of 2013. By now you should all know the story: Daft Punk do old-fashioned disco-pop with the help of a legion of high profile guests and collaborators. So is Random Access Memories any good? Certainly, it's a fine pop album; lavishly produced fare with an authentic, organic swing that benefits enormously from Chic man Nile Rodgers' distinctive guitar work. At it's best, such as on the goodtime disco rush of "Get Lucky" and "Lose Yourself to Dance" (both featuring agorgeous vocals for Pharrell Williams), or the quirky but brilliant "Girorgio by Moroder", it's impeccable.