Random Access Memories---A Groove Line for Life

Random Access Memories

A Groove Line for Life

Like soft memory, disco was a relatively short-lived fad. The adoption of Blues and Classic Rock melodies with funk groove lines and four on the floor beats would revolutionize the music of the 70s, creating Disco and setting the stage for Rap, Dance, and Pop of today. Daft Punk was not one of the many who tossed disco out of their minds as new music came a long. The robots are set to release their newest studio record tomorrow and with it comes a sort of futuristic time travel where disco style rhythms meet the futuristic sounds of synthesizers and vocoders. 

 Growing up in the 90s and DJing at a skating rink meant I was sort of destined to come into contact with the music of the robots. For those lucky, or paradoxically unlucky, enough to grow up in the 90s, its hard to not have heard at least one of Daft Punk's many ear-worms. Songs like "One More Time", "Around the World", and "Harder Better Faster Stronger" have taken over the airwaves in both the homes and in the clubs with unique samples, vocoders, and a style that encompasses multiple genres of electronic dance music. Daft Punk isn't confined to a genre with their work, but are more like a satellite that constantly watches the scene and unlike those on the ground, is aware of the connections between types of music. They seem to be able to visualize the music in mathematical rhythms creating pristine music. Where most artists focus on one type of EDM like Trance or the newest craze Trapp (still don't understand this one), the robots are constantly defining and re-defining themselves with each new project. They take what has been done well and combine it with their massive amounts of creativity and technical expertise to create tracks that have never been imagined before.

Upon hearing Daft Punk's teaser of their single "Get Lucky" at Coachella, I knew this album was going to be special, I just had no clue how far Daft Punk would push their repertoire of already funky and catchy songs. "Get Lucky" features Nile Rodgers, an award winning guitarists with works such as David Bowie's "Let's Dance" and the toe-tapping "Le Freak" and Pharrell Williams on vocals belting out a tale of young love and good times. 

As a musicphile, I took it upon myself to enact a plan of action, this album was to be mine. A friend purchased his copy after my enthusiasm regarding the single and my fiancee graciously surprised me with a pre-order for our anniversary. Can you say, "ka-ching!?" 

The momentum for this album has been building for months with teasers left and right. Daft Punk's marketing is genius and is as creative as the artists themselves using devices such as Vine and Facebook to release information. They even used a vine video to release the track-list--talk about new-age! The album is based on collaborations and apparently has been in production since 2009. Random Access Memories features artists such as DJ Falcon, Panda Bear from Animal Collective, Todd Edwards, House DJ Giorgio Moroder (more on him at a later date), Pharrell Williams, and the legendary Nile Rodgers.

Each song is molded around the collaborators and all have a special feel. This doesn't seem like an album thrown together with big names as featurettes but more the results of a creative synergy between the robots and their fellow musicians.

This is not your normal EDM

Now, when putting in this album it is important to not be expecting head-ache inducing drops and the constant electronic madness as of most EDM today. With chilling bass grooves and funky analog guitar, this is a trip back into the heyday of disco but with an added electronic touch. We are talking about beautiful and relaxing music that will, at one moment, have you ready to dance and at the next, ready for a soothing night drive. The album screams of quality with mega-narratives like "Touch" coupled with catchy tunes such as "Lose Yourself to Dance".

Now, I am no music expert so I compiled a list of technical reviews that I most certainly agree with. Whether you are young or old, I believe you can love this album. It may take an open mind to accept the synthesized voices but even my grandmother loved tracks like Within that can only be labeled as tasty!

Final Verdict? If you are a fan of Daft Punk or EDM, this album is a must. If you are a fan of soothing jazz and funky rock and roll, this album is a must. Lastly, if you are a musicphile that simply enjoys a creative uniqueness that only the robots can create in today's monopolized recording industry, this album is a must. Pharrell Williams, when discussing Random Access Memories on Daft Punk's Collaborator Series mini-documentaries said this and I wholeheartedly agree, "The music is so incredibly vivid.. this music represents the freedom of all human beings."


Random Access Memories brings back the soul in a music scene filled with synthetic beats. It's odd that two robots, the definition of the synthetic ruling over the natural, is responsible for "Give[ing] Life Back to Music" but it just shows how much verticality these artists have over the majority of music producers out there today. Go out and get this album, you won't regret it. My friend Travis and I set ourselves up on a trip through all of Daft Punks Albums, starting with Homework and ending with Random Access Memories. With each iteration of their music, the formula remains the same-- create a simple groove, just like the groove of the heart, and dress it up in melodies and crecendos that keep the music alive and fresh, listen after listen. Random Access Memories is an album that meets its hype.

Enjoy, my readers. I am not guiding you wrong on this one!

Some of the best reviews out at this time (Give them a read!):
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-05-20/entertainment/chi-daft-punk-album-review-random-access-memories-reviewed-20130517_1_random-access-memories-guy-manuel-de-homem-christo-daft-punk

http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/18028-daft-punk-random-access-memories/

Check out the Collaborators series on the Daft Punk Website:
www.randomaccessmemories.com


Let me know what you think in the comments below, do you love the album? Do you plan to purchase?