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Daft Punk
A decade after its original release in 2013, French electronic duo Daft Punk’s iconic final album Random Access Memories gets a rerelease for its 10th anniversary, with 35 mins of bonus content. Perfect time for a reappraisal then…
Upon its original release in 2013, Random Access Memories was showered with overwhelming commercial and critical acclaim, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and in over 20 different countries, whilst also winning Grammy Album of the Year and various other awards. Its influence on pop music was also immense, with many artists attempting to emulate its 1970s/80s disco electronic sound, which can be heard on allbums such as Dua Lipa’s Future Nostalgia (2020) and the Weeknd’s After Hours (2020). Yet its reputation as a ‘classic’ album, and one with great acclaim, has been the subject of re-evaluation over the years since its release, with many critics bemoaning its long runtime, use of musical collaborators, and strange rhythms.
Nonetheless, with a gestation period of over four years, and an arduorus post production period enough to drive most sound and mixing engineers insane, the album is undeniably a masterpiece and one that the artists wished to make, with a gorgeous blend of orchestral, vocal and electronic music in harmony with each other. Whilst the hit singles of Get Lucky and Lose Yourself to Dance (both collaborations with Pharell Williams) got the majority of audiences attention, it is instrumental tracks which are the best on the album, such as Beyond, Motherboard and Contact. The album’s masterpiece, Touch, is an incredible listening journey with some gorgeous strings and vocals. Further information on the album’s production and reception can be found elsewhere on the Internet.
For the album’s 10th anniversary release, 35 minutes of extra material has been released, featuring studio outtakes and demos from the album’s recording. Of the nine new tracks, the highlights are Infinity Repeating (which was also released as a single), a demo of an unreleased collaboration with Julian Cascablancas, and Prime, a brilliant futuristic disco electronic track that has a strong influence from their Tron: Legacy soundtrack in 2010. Also featured are studio outtakes from Give Life Back to Music, Get Lucky, Lose Yourself to Dance, and a eight minute audio track detailing The Writing of Fragments of Time. The Pink Floyd influenced Horizon (previously released on the Japan CD) and Horizon Ouverture are also a soothing listen and are complemented by the final track, Touch (2021 Epilogue), which closes out Daft Punk’s 28 year career, from 1993 – 2021.
Whilst the amount of extra material released does seem to be somewhat limited, it does offer a small glimpse into the making of the album. Bearing in mind the general secrecy in which Daft Punk produce and release their music, any behind the scenes material is precious and valuable. (Note a remixes of their debut album Homework was released in 2022 for its 25th anniversary.)
Random Access Memories: 10th Anniversary Edition was released on 12 May 2023 and is currently available in 3LP vinyl (containing a 16 page booklet and Lose Yourself to Dance poster) or 2CD deluxe edition. Somewhat disappontingly, the CD edition comes in a cheap foldout paper sleeve rather than a jewel case. The album itself isn’t an essential purchase for the casual listener, but the added bonus content will be well worth the pickup for dedicated Daft Punk fans.
Rating: 8/10
Andrew Reviews 