As a music producer who grew up with their music in France, I have a different relationship with Daft Punk than most.
I thought they were outstanding music geniuses. They’re more likely just good music producers. And that’s fine.
Their first album was super fresh and raw. Like, we had never really heard anything like this before in the way that it was special, unique, yet fitting those eclectic musical times in electronic music: big beat, house, jungle were raging out in Europe. They became the French Touch ambassadors and whatnot.
THEN comes their best work, Discovery. That thing was everything I wanted to make and still is: a full Digital Electro Funk album with anime visuals. I’m still jealous. This shit was absolutely so perfect.
But then as a music producer, I did my research.
I realized that what I thought was the result of them jamming and sampling themselves, like they had mostly done on their first album, wasn’t.
I was particularly blown away by Digital Love and Harder, Better’s samples in the background, thinking Daft Punk had played and recorded that music. They had not, it was a straight forward loop of a George Duke’s intro and Edwin Birdsong’s groove. I felt bamboozled so damn hard.
Their next album Human After All, without the funky sampling, is without question the least inspired. The best track samples Breakwater, an 80s funk band.
Their last album Random Access Memory is clearly the work of Nile Rodgers and other black music producers. And ever since, they haven’t done anything as peculiar and lovely as Discovery. They disbanded last week.