Album: Homework
One trait that Daft Punk share with DJ Shadow is that they don't show their real faces much, letting the music stand front and centre. In Daft Punk's case, this was an especially useful tactic, given their Frenchness, which may have been a barrier to acceptance among the more narrow-minded members of the public and music press. That's not to say that the Parisian duo aren't image-savvy; school friends Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo have used a variety of robot masks and employed many talented music video directors to create an aura of futuristic mystique. Despite signing with a relatively big label (Virgin), Daft Punk retained a lot of control over their output and this helped them achieve their creative vision. Most importantly, they've had an uncanny knack of scoring hit singles for almost two decades, from Da Funk (1995) to Get Lucky (2013). They also arrived at a time when electronic music, thanks to the efforts of Leftfield, Goldie and others, was entering the mainstream. Da Funk was re-released in 1996 with the classic Spike Jonze video (see below), starring a man with a hangdog expression called Charles, helping the song become a huge international hit. In the video, Da Funk's instrumental track weaves in and out of the mix as Charles interacts with various characters in New York, whereas on the single you can listen to the fusion of hip hop and house music in all its glory. With its funky synths and expert drum beats, it's probably one of the most identifiable dance tracks of the 90s.
The other hit single that the album produced was Around The World. Thanks to his work with Björk and others, Michel Gondry was selected to direct the video for his fellow compatriots, and again it was a brilliant way of connecting with the MTV generation. Like Get Lucky in 2013, Around The World was the song I couldn't get out of my head in 1997. Not for the first time, Chic were the inspiration for Daft Punk's sound, in this case the funky bassline of Nile Rodgers' Good Times. LCD Soundsystem would later pay homage to the song and the video, especially its clever use of different groups of characters to represent different instruments, on Daft Punk Is Playing At My House (2005). Listening to the album again recently, it's clear there's much more than two great singles, from club-friendly tracks Revolution 909 and Phoenix to the bleep techno of Rollin' & Scratchin' and the house euphoria of High Fidelity and Alive. I wouldn't say it's a classic album, but it's a great document of the times, when electronic music kicked back against Britpop.
Artist: Daft Punk
Born: XVIIe Arrondissement, Paris
Released: January 1997
Genre: House
The other hit single that the album produced was Around The World. Thanks to his work with Björk and others, Michel Gondry was selected to direct the video for his fellow compatriots, and again it was a brilliant way of connecting with the MTV generation. Like Get Lucky in 2013, Around The World was the song I couldn't get out of my head in 1997. Not for the first time, Chic were the inspiration for Daft Punk's sound, in this case the funky bassline of Nile Rodgers' Good Times. LCD Soundsystem would later pay homage to the song and the video, especially its clever use of different groups of characters to represent different instruments, on Daft Punk Is Playing At My House (2005). Listening to the album again recently, it's clear there's much more than two great singles, from club-friendly tracks Revolution 909 and Phoenix to the bleep techno of Rollin' & Scratchin' and the house euphoria of High Fidelity and Alive. I wouldn't say it's a classic album, but it's a great document of the times, when electronic music kicked back against Britpop.
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