DAFT PUNK (Electronica)

Origin: Paris, France
Genre(s): Electronica, House, Techno
Years active: 1993–present
Label(s) Soma, Virgin

Websites: www.daftpunk.com, www.daftalive.com

Members:
Thomas Bangalter
Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo



Daft Punk is credited with producing songs that were considered essential in the French house scene. They were managed from 1996 to 2008 by Pedro Winter (Busy P), the head of Ed Banger Records.
After Daft Punk reached significant popularity in the late 1990s house movement in France, other artists such as Air, Cassius and Dimitri from Paris began to receive a similar amount of attention.

Daft Punk (formed in Paris, France, in 1993) is the collective name of French musicians, Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo (born February 8, 1974) and Thomas Bangalter (born January 3, 1975). The duo has released three albums and thirteen singles, and is considered one of the most successful electronic collaborations of all time, both in album sales and in critical acclaim. The name Daft Punk was inspired by a review in the British music magazine Melody Maker, which dubbed their first collaboration, the The Beach Boys-inspired guitar group Darlin’, “a bunch of daft punk.”

The album Homework (Virgin, 1996) was regarded as an innovative synthesis of techno, house, acid house and electro styles, and is widely acknowledged as one of the most influential dance music albums of the nineties. “Around the World” with its catchy, ultra-repetitive talkbox hook, and “Da Funk”, with its signature funk growl, are probably among the duo’s best-known tracks, but the album also contained more challenging material, such as the abrasive “Rollin’ & Scratchin’” and the downright aggressive, semi-industrial “Rock n’ Roll.” “Homework” may be a reference to the album’s focus: house music, although it more likely refers to the fact that the album was recorded in the duo’s home studio.

2001’s Discovery, with its more commercial, synth-pop-oriented style, disappointed some fans of Homework. Nevertheless, it sold very well, making second place on the UK charts and recieving much critical acclaim, most recently featuring in the Observer Music Monthly’s 1000 Albums to Hear Before You Die. Additionally, single “One More Time” was a major club hit, inciting a new generation of fans mainly familiar with the sophomore Daft Punk release. The song “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” off this album best symbolizes the eclectic blend of guitar rock, synth dance, and deep house.

Of note also is the 2003 DVD Interstella 5555, a collaboration between Daft Punk and director Leiji Matsumoto that set the entire Discovery album to an animated film. The story revolves around the abduction of musicians from across dimensions by an evil mastermind bent on domination through music. Some segments from the DVD were released as videos for the corresponding singles and saw limited exposure on MTV, Cartoon Network (including a night of Toonami - hosted in pre-taped segments by Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter in full robot regalia), and other various music video outlets.

In 2005, Daft Punk released “Human After All,” a return to the less-polished style of Homework, which also incorporated elements of the dance-rock style popularized by artists such as Soulwax and LCD Soundsystem. The album produced successful singles in the form of “Robot Rock,” “Technologic,” and the title track Human After All.

Daft Punk continue to be one of the premier dance music acts. Their seamless blend of influences, with a nod to Kraftwerk’s sense of dryly humorous, robotic detachment, has made the band cultural icons in the club landscape.

Daft Punk hit the festivals in 2006 with massive sets at Coachella and @ Marlay Park in Dublin and Summercase in Barcelona and Madrid. They recently finished their 2007 “Alive” tour, with sets played at Lollapalooza in Chicago and various locations around Europe and North America.

Discography

Studio albums:
* Homework - March 25, 1997
* Discovery - March 13, 2001
* Human After All - March 14, 2005

Other albums:
* Alive 1997 (live album) - November 6, 2001
* Daft Club (remix album) - December 1, 2003
* Human After All: Remixes (remix album) - March 29, 2006
* Musique Vol. 1 1993-2005 (compilation album) - April 4, 2006
* Alive 2007 (live album) - November 20, 2007