Well. Been listening to my copy of Random Access Memories by Daft Punk over the last 24 hours... And based on my gut feeling and the endorphin excitment fizzing away inside my mind, It is, by my prediction, a game changer. I don't often say such things easily when it comes to music, but I will say the album will go down as a true great. It'll sound familiar to anyone that knows DP, whilst being an total evolution of their sound (much more live in sound and space) and like nothing anyone else in electronic music doing at the moment. It sounds classic yet very now, very cool, very special. It transists between sounding like future funk, back to 80's Miami, through epic movie soundtrack richness and computer game influences back to discotheque-dancefloor bliss effortlessly. Sometimes all of those influences are evident at the same time. I have literally been laughing out loud at how good it is. It's so unbelievably rich in production too - layers upon layers of exquisitely recorded guitars, bass, synthezized keys, vocals, orchestral strings, live percussion and programmed modular effects. It is sublime to hear veteran electronic producers come forward with such an rich offering. I don't want to talk it up anymore but I would wholeheartedly recommend anyone with a pulse should pay it some attention. Wow. Enjoy!
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Do you stream hi-res music or download hi-res tracks? We want your opinions!
Daft Punk - Random Access Memories
- Thread starter ksoundwerx
- Start date
Please excuse the evident lack of paragraphs in the above - they were there when I typed it but this board often excludes them when I hit 'reply'!
I paid it all the attention I could yesterday, it's rubbish, worse, it's boring rubbish, I like Daft Punk but this is just plodding, repetitive (as in one song sounds very much like the others) tedium. See the What are you listening to thread (or whatever it's called), there's a brief discussion on there.
I am rather in the same camp as the LHC, I had high hopes for this album, but it turns out to be very underwhelming. Don't let my comments put you off, but there are better ways to waste your time. Stick with Get Lucky, which I enjoy, the rest is avoidable.
Theo12
Theo12
Hey... It won't please everyone, that's the nature of music.
I've have all their work and I regard this there stongest to date. Although I adored their Tron soundtrack/concept album: incredible in vision and the amalgamation of digital synthesis blended with orchestral score was stunningly beautiful.
I've have all their work and I regard this there stongest to date. Although I adored their Tron soundtrack/concept album: incredible in vision and the amalgamation of digital synthesis blended with orchestral score was stunningly beautiful.
I'm not sure every album needs huge floor-filling anthems to be a great listen? Saying that there are plenty of tracks with enough percussive guts and groove to get me up!
For me the genuine beauty of the work lays within the subtleties, layering and arrangement of the instruments and programming - something often lacking in modern electronica. In fact, DP's earlier work was often devoid of this very thing - huge 8 or 16 bar slabs of programmed drums, keys or bass hitting you in blocks without any efforts to layer with discretion... This album has all the hallmarks of their signature sound but with a much more musical, live dynamic and depth. I'm particularly drawn to their slower, more chilled songs on this LP too - some are just plain 80's Miami (Game of Love) and other are even quite sad (Within). Conjures up lot of emotion and feeling, for me anyway.
I guess it depends on expectations. I refuse to ever read anything about albums (especially ones as anticipated as this) and instead just wait for it to drop through my door in glorious CD format. I had no expectation when loading the CD into the tray, and I truly enjoyed the entire uninterupted album sat on my sofa with a huge grin on my face. That's how I measure a good LP!
For me the genuine beauty of the work lays within the subtleties, layering and arrangement of the instruments and programming - something often lacking in modern electronica. In fact, DP's earlier work was often devoid of this very thing - huge 8 or 16 bar slabs of programmed drums, keys or bass hitting you in blocks without any efforts to layer with discretion... This album has all the hallmarks of their signature sound but with a much more musical, live dynamic and depth. I'm particularly drawn to their slower, more chilled songs on this LP too - some are just plain 80's Miami (Game of Love) and other are even quite sad (Within). Conjures up lot of emotion and feeling, for me anyway.
I guess it depends on expectations. I refuse to ever read anything about albums (especially ones as anticipated as this) and instead just wait for it to drop through my door in glorious CD format. I had no expectation when loading the CD into the tray, and I truly enjoyed the entire uninterupted album sat on my sofa with a huge grin on my face. That's how I measure a good LP!
I've no doubt it's very well made but all I'm getting from it is one slow chilled track after another, there's no hook, nothing to get the toe tapping, apart from Get Lucky no variation, no FUN! What's the point of dance music (and that's what they are) if it isn't fun?
I think you may need a visit to hospital if there is nothing to get your toe tapping inside the entire album! I jest.
90% of my (not insignificant) CD / vinyl collection is dance and electronica - it's my thing, if you like. As such, it's quite suprising to me that you can't find any pleasure in it, especially if you do enjoy dance music.
My electronic tastes are mostly quite niche and un-commercial, so it's a wholly refreshing change for me to see a decent dance album with pop-crossover appeal (it's obvious RAM will be hugely sucessful) that isn't anything at all from the school of over-produced, disposable dance hits that Calvin Harris et al seemed to go to.
All of this aside, it's futile to try and make other ears hear what I do, and vice versa (I cannot understand the new Bowie album at all for example!) so I'll bow out and genuinely thank you for sharing your opinion on the album, even if we disagree.
Cheers.
90% of my (not insignificant) CD / vinyl collection is dance and electronica - it's my thing, if you like. As such, it's quite suprising to me that you can't find any pleasure in it, especially if you do enjoy dance music.
My electronic tastes are mostly quite niche and un-commercial, so it's a wholly refreshing change for me to see a decent dance album with pop-crossover appeal (it's obvious RAM will be hugely sucessful) that isn't anything at all from the school of over-produced, disposable dance hits that Calvin Harris et al seemed to go to.
All of this aside, it's futile to try and make other ears hear what I do, and vice versa (I cannot understand the new Bowie album at all for example!) so I'll bow out and genuinely thank you for sharing your opinion on the album, even if we disagree.
Cheers.
ksoundwerx said:
Well, the thing is, it appears to me to be a disco/funk homage and yet I can't recall listening to a disco track that didn't make you want to dance or a funk track that didn't do the same, that was kind of the point of them and yet this album doesn't do that.
I agree it's very well produced and recorded, it does sound lush, but it just doesn't seem to do anything with it.
It wouldn't even occur to me to listen to something like that, I'm not into the whole singer/songwriter vibe.
steve_1979
Well-known member
- Jul 14, 2010
- 231
- 10
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The first track 'Give Life Back to Music' sounds really cool with it's funky smooth 70's disco feel. 8)
The rest of the album is a bit rubbish though. 🙁
I prefer some of their earlier songs which are more upbeat and fun sounding. :dance:
Here's a playlist of my favourite Daft Punk tracks: http://open.spotify.com/user/steve_1979/playlist/21JTEDrwITf7TyDLzdrjFf
The rest of the album is a bit rubbish though. 🙁
I prefer some of their earlier songs which are more upbeat and fun sounding. :dance:
Here's a playlist of my favourite Daft Punk tracks: http://open.spotify.com/user/steve_1979/playlist/21JTEDrwITf7TyDLzdrjFf
Hi Ksoundwerx,
if electronica is your thing try chvrches (it's spelt that way) 80's style with modern female vocals.
Theo12
if electronica is your thing try chvrches (it's spelt that way) 80's style with modern female vocals.
Theo12
Just listened to it and not sure what to make of it, I was expecting more after all the hype. Maybe it will grow on me like get lucky did as I thought that was rubbish to start with but I love it now. Alot of the tracks sound like the background music you hear in a lift for example, a bit meloncholic with no energy.
steve_1979
Well-known member
- Jul 14, 2010
- 231
- 10
- 18,795
I have too say the Album is a massive letdown - why change direction when your onto a winner with your current format and its what fans come to expect? - for e.g. heavy metal fans wouldnt pay buy a Slayer CD to hear them perform like Soft Metal Bon Jovi? - its the same thing..lol
I admire them for trying something different, but theres too much of it... PLODDING is a word that has been used and its probably the right word, they should have stuck with the techno vibe and added a few tracks like Get Lucky (which is the only thing on the album thats any good), Discovery and Human After All where chart toppers...this album will/may top the charts because of expectation due to massive following (people rushing out too buy it who havent heard it yet - or die hard fans who even though dont like the sound would still buy the album?)
I admire them for trying something different, but theres too much of it... PLODDING is a word that has been used and its probably the right word, they should have stuck with the techno vibe and added a few tracks like Get Lucky (which is the only thing on the album thats any good), Discovery and Human After All where chart toppers...this album will/may top the charts because of expectation due to massive following (people rushing out too buy it who havent heard it yet - or die hard fans who even though dont like the sound would still buy the album?)
I like it. Retro, low-key and chilled out. I'm not even sure I'd class it as a dance album, atlhough I have plenty of albums that would be put in the dance/club section of the CD store but are nigh impossible to dance to.
As far as change of direction, each album has been in quite a different style as far as I'm concerned. The first album had some great tracks but it also had a lot of fillers. Human After All also felt a bit slapdash in parts compared to Discovery, and was in an altogether harder style. Random Access Memories was never going to be another Discovery, and anyone waiting for them to do that is going to be disappointed.
Then again, I purchased and enjoyed Electroma and came to this album with relatively low expectations despite all the hype/promotion. I also enjoyed Electroma without the volume down and Random Access Memories playing instead. I can see how many would be disappointed and find the albm boring.
I kind of liked this review
http://boingboing.net/2013/05/21/daft-punk-does-good-music-nee.html
It seems people want to like it, but ...
As far as change of direction, each album has been in quite a different style as far as I'm concerned. The first album had some great tracks but it also had a lot of fillers. Human After All also felt a bit slapdash in parts compared to Discovery, and was in an altogether harder style. Random Access Memories was never going to be another Discovery, and anyone waiting for them to do that is going to be disappointed.
Then again, I purchased and enjoyed Electroma and came to this album with relatively low expectations despite all the hype/promotion. I also enjoyed Electroma without the volume down and Random Access Memories playing instead. I can see how many would be disappointed and find the albm boring.
I kind of liked this review
http://boingboing.net/2013/05/21/daft-punk-does-good-music-nee.html
It seems people want to like it, but ...
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