Daft Punk: a week after release, how we REALLY feel

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Daft Punk's Random Access Memories is the biggest album of 2013 so far, breaking records in the UK and US and scoring the French duo their first No.1 in both the UK and the US - so it must be amazing right?

The marketing campaign was spectacular and the hype surrounding the release was like anything we've seen in years, but reactions were mixed after the album hit stores, and fans discovered no club anthems - and lots and lots of funk epics. Some love it, others hate the record.

We've been living with the album for a number of weeks now, and now the hype has subsided, the members of our team reveal how they feel about the new album...

"Random Access Memories is nothing like I expected, or wanted, from Daft Punk's 2013 comeback. Considering the impact Discovery had on the dance world in 2001 (with every producer and band striving to emulate the sounds of 'One More Time' and 'Digital Love', even to this day), like many others, I wanted a second revolution in dance music from the French duo.

Instead, we got a load of disco tracks that are more suited to cheese and wine parties than they are clubs and festivals.

It was something of a shock and my feelings on Random Access Memories are somewhat mixed. The initial excitement of hearing the album was quickly replaced by an overwhelming sense of disappointment at the lack of big singles on the album, 'Get Lucky' aside. Eight-minute funk noodlings were not on my wish list for Daft Punk's comeback.

However, with the hype now subsided and having lived with the album, for several weeks, I am learning to love the album, which needs to be considered in its entirety, rather than pulling favourite tracks for playlists. Random Access Memories is not a dance album, it's not even a disco album. It is a strange and epic record which compliments Daft Punk's previous releases perfectly - despite being far from a perfect record itself.

Had the robots returned and given us everything we hoped for (Discovery part two - with a bit of Homework and a dash of Tron: Legacy), it would have been a hollow triumph for fans. Instead Daft Punk flipped everything, alienated plenty - and ultimately released something with more creativity and ambition than dance music seen since, well, 2001."
Michael Baggs (Editor)

"And heeeere comes the comedown. The worst thing about hype is falling from such an almighty height. With a pre-release campaign so expertly orchestrated, only purest perfection would have lived up to expectations. That may sound a little unreasonable, but come on - think back to the world-wide salivation at the sight of those SNL adverts and the eye and eargasm of the 'Get Lucky' teaser at Coachella.

The world was led to believe we'd be getting an album of 100% solid gold classics that made the machines seem human and harked back to a timeless halcyon age. We were expecting greatness with a capital G, what we've got instead is a thoroughly good album from pioneers capable of so much more.

Random Access Memories has a handful of the radio-friendly unit shifters you wanted (see Lose Yourself to Dance, Get Lucky, Instant Crush) and there are grander moments of cinematic swagger (Beyond, Motherboard) but there are times when imagination spills into ambience and ultimately leads to nothing (Touch, Game of Love).

It's got tonnes of charm and certainly makes for one of the best releases of the year so far, but there's none of the space-age, instant gratification of Discovery or the highway-destroying bravado of Homework. I daresay there's probably more of a rush in the Tron: Legacy soundtrack.

Still, robots - it's good to have you back."
Andrew Trendell (Assistant Editor)

"Before I listened to it properly, my presumptive judgement of the album was based on 'Get Lucky' - good, but nothing special. However, listening to the whole album, rather than just dipping in and out of it, it’s surprising how diverse it is, from simple piano melodies, to juxtaposing funk and electro in the same track.

I prefer the music to the mostly-vocodered vocals, which annoy me after more than half a song, and I think detract from what’s actually quite remarkable musically - the exception being 'Get Lucky'.

I'm still not quite settled on an opinion of the whole album, it’s going to take more than a week of occasional listening to figure out. Daft Punk have impacted music massively before, so it's really going to be a case of keeping listening and seeing how dance, disco, and electro respond."
Joanne Ball (writer)

Daft Punk with collaborator Giorgio Moroder, shot by Hedi Slimane for Dazed & Confused

"Promising an album will change dance music forever perhaps already set Daft Punk up for a fall in some people's eyes, like the musical equivalent of an overly confident candidate on 'The Apprentice' who ultimately loses the task. It would be overstepping the mark to say that the robots have failed on Random Access Memories, but there's no denying it just simply isn't the groundbreaking piece of music we were all led to believe.

That isn't to say there aren't moments of brilliance to be taken from the perhaps overly long 74 minute release, and it was refreshing to see the duo give their collaborators more control than ever before. Giorgio By Moroder sounds (as you would expect), like a Giorgio Moroder track with arpeggiated throwback synths, Panda Bear brings his futuristic beats to the ridiculously catchy 'Doin' It Right', and Nile Roger's chic legacy pretty much bleeds through the rest of the album to bring that bonafide 70's sound that has enamoured Bangleter and Christo.

However, it is the self-indulgent, autopilot moments that detract from the glory, and put the album into almost forgettable territory, as the duo rest on their laurels on the likes of 'Game Of Love' and 'Fragments Of Time' which when set against the record's high points leave a somewhat sour taste in the mouth. One can't help but think if the album was shorter and wasn't shoved down our throats for the last two months, then maybe it would have resonated differently."
Elliot Mitchell (writer)