#2 Discovery by Daft Punk

After releasing what is considered to be one of the most influential dance albums of the Nineties, Daft Punk was kidnapped and replaced by robots, and in 2000 the robots, under the name Daft Punk, released one of the greatest albums of all time. The album works perfectly from start to finish, each song running congruently with the next. The album was a step away from Daft Punk’s earlier established sound, using synth-based music, guitars and vocals, creating something new yet again in the dance music world.

1. “One More Time”- From start to finish the song is catchy, the chopped up sample sounds awesome, and works perfectly alongside the four on the floor beat. House music legend Romanthony is featured on vocals, which have been auto tuned to greatness. The vocals repeat for five minutes, yet everything keeps rolling till the end.

2. “Aerodynamic”- Starts right off of “One More Time”, with a funk/rock beat, with guitar tapping that could trump even the best guitarists, it pushes the song to the next level. When the bell strikes for the last time synth floats in, sweeping over everything, flying around the remains of the previous noises, carrying the song to it’s end.

3. “Digital Love”- A truly romantic love song, that fuses together elements of classic rock, eighties synth music, and house. The lyrics are very personal, whispering through the vocoder beautiful messages, it seems as if Daft Punk is pouring their hearts on the listener with this song. The synth sounds are graceful and work with the chopped up samples of the song “I Love You More” by George Duke. It contains a guitar solo (something not a lot of electronic artists have), which is pumped full of emotion. The solo helps the song ground before it’s end.

4. “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger”- The song kicks in with a sample of the Edwin Birdsong song “Cola Bottle Baby”. This is one of the best produced songs I have honestly ever heard, everything is mixed perfectly. The vocoded voice repeats “Work it/Harder/Make it/ Better/Do it/Faster/Makes us/Stronger/More than/Ever/Hour after/Our work is/Never/Over” imprinting it on your brain so you know every word and want to sing along right away. This is a song everybody has probably heard and remembered, it bounces straight to the finish with everything tightly working together.

5. “Crescendolls”- Starts with a very heavy drum beat, leaving the synth that fades in a surprise, pleasantly blipping around the soundscape, funny thing is the song hasn’t even started yet. It hits off with a looped sample of Anthony and the Imperials song “Can You Imagine.” The song is very danceable, it is awesome all the way to its finish.

6. “Nightvision”- The cool down track, the synth overlays itself with pretty melodies shaping the album in a new direction.

7. “Superheros”- Starts with a drum roll, which is perfect for what’s about to come. The beat is straight four on the floor with a sample of Barry Manilow’s “Who’s Been Sleeping in My Bed?” fading in to the mix. The couple of synths that layer themselves over the rest of the song set a new standard in the arrangement on the album, each working with the other to shove this song in your memories forever.

8. “High Life”- The chopped and pitch-shifted sample of Tavare’s “Breakdown For Love” bounces up and down up to kick of the song. After a few bars the bass punches right in heartbeat style, beating hard. This is one of my favorite songs on the record if not favorite, The repetition of the vocals produces a lovely atmosphere, with all the sounds flowing around so wonderfully. The song is very straight forward, yet there is a lot of listening room for all the sounds taking place at one time.

9. “Something About Us”- A love song for the ages, the synth is fantastic, the bass is fantastic, everything is fantastic. The lyrics are very quiet yet they scream so much love and passion, “I need you more than anything in my life.” Everything eventually leads into the equally beautiful guitar solo which drags the song to its finish.

10. “Voyager”- Some of the coolest loops, great to take a walk to. It makes everything around me feel urgent and important. The bass is the highlight of the song as it keeps the main melody. The guitar loop has ravishing tone that echos around and sinks in perfectly to the mix. The song is very minimalist, ye all the parts work well enough that it doesn’t matter, another example of the genius of Daft Punk.

11. “Verdis Quo”- A very beautiful composition, the instruments are very soft and comforting, as the beat fades in, the song works within itself to repeat all the beauty over and over until it has done itself enough, where it safely lands leaving the next song ready to take off.

12. “Short Circuit”- An awesome beat, an awesome synth noise, fast and loud, runs right past.

13. “Face to Face”-The beats are incredible with the lyrics. Vocals are by Todd Edwards, whose voice sounds fantastic, there is a uncredited sample that works as a chorus. Tons of background noises, each well worth listening to.

14. “Too Long”- My favorite song on the record. The beginning percussion is incredible, keeping everything on the ride, Romanthony is featured once again (this time not autotuned), and like before, he delivers. When the bass and the keyboard kick in the song is really moving. As the song pushes in to a new direction it acquires one of the coolest sounds I have ever heard (most likely another uncredited sample). The vocals fade back in so well, and goes great with the new direction of the song. This song is absolute genius, a climactic ending to what I believe to be one of the best albums of all time.

One of my favorite bands, one of my favorite records. Daft Punk is incredible and I recommend buying anything they put their name on.

Picture taken from www.discogs.com.