Daft Punk – Human After All

Since Homework dropped on the scene like a mid-nineties cherry bomb, our Gaelic friends have managed to deftly sidestep cool. Cool, because they’re not cool, which makes them cool. Or does it make them anti-cool, which is cool, although anti-freeze isn’t, because that warms up frozen windscreens, or does it just annihilate the water content of the ice without altering the temperature of the H20/air pollution compound? Goodness, staying up late watching Open University science programming was little or no preparation for reviewing a Daft Punk LP.

Human After All is as tough as an adamantium cyborg and fun as an orangeade swimming pool. Never better displayed than on lead single ‘Robot Rock’ and title track, ‘Human After All’.

Unlike the Chemical Brothers, whose latest album bears a striking resemblance to all their previous albums – to its detriment; Daft Punk’s latest album bears a striking resemblance to all their previous albums – to its infinite aceness. They’ve always existed in their own timeframe, on their own plane, untouched by current trends and not really having a huge impact on them either (yes, around Homework, basslines went bigger and the French seemed to lose a bit of their ‘exchange-student-rucksack- discomfiture’ but it wasn’t revolutionary). This is their superhero weapon.

Processes seemingly thus: throw in as many nostalgic, fun and knowing sounds as possible, including, but not limited to: Gregorian chant melodies, metal riffs, Studio 54 basslines and pushpop dance tinkles. See what sticks. Whatever doesn’t stick can be overcome by cranking the vocoder up to, say, eleven. Then it’ll stick. Et voila, quelle surprise, un superhit de magique. Goodness, staying up late watching Open University foreign language programming was little or no preparation for reviewing a Daft Punk LP.

Un morceau brillant de bruit sec. Un album superbe. Encens bêtes. And relax.

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