I can’t believe it.. Daft Punk’s calling it quits. Has it really been nearly 30 years?
Daft Punk released a video today called “Epilogue”, showcasing the pair in the desert. One flips a switch on the other’s back, who walks away and then later explodes. We’re given the closing music for “Touch” (off of Random Access Memories) and a 1993-2021 memoriam. What a way to say goodbye. I’m really hoping they come back as something different, but if not, it’s been a great run.
When it comes to electronic music in the 1990s, I spent way too much time at the Virgin Megastore Times Square. Bands like Underworld, Juno Reactor, Orbital, The Prodigy, The Chemical Brothers, The Crystal Method were all the rage back then. Daft Punk, however, was in a class all its own. Formed by Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, the duo made only 4 regular albums in their lifespan, but were so universally loved that their music hit every medium, from Movies to Video Games.
Just about everyone knows their songs like Around the World, or Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger (the latter having been so popular, Kayne West sampled part of it on his song “Stronger”), but 2010 put Daft Punk on a higher level with their score for Disney’s Tron: Legacy. While the movie didn’t do well, many praised the film’s score, and I hoped to see more of them in that area.
Their last album was 2013’s Random Access Memories, which found the band working with others including Paul Williams (Phantom of the Paradise), Pharrell Williams, Panda Bear and disco legend Giorgio Morodor. The album was a departure from some of their more familiar work, but managed to be popular with so many Random Access Memories would go on to win Album of the Year at the Grammys in 2014. With songs like Touch (featuring Williams), Lose Yourself to Dance, and Doin’ it Right, it’s no surprise the album did so well. That album was a great summertime mix for motorcycle rides.
From YouTuber MrGamerHD90 comes one of the Megamix plays from DJ Hero, which was a really fun DJ game featuring the duo.
As such, we’re are labelling this an Incident and are resetting the clock to Zero. Daft Punk will be missed, though they’ve left us some great music to party with.
