Daft Punk: Discovery Vinyl 2LP

After a spell of being aggravatingly out of print, Daft Punk's Discovery finally repressed on their own Daft Life imprint. Here's Woodman's OG Lab review written a few years after the album came out, when DP were a big deal, but not nearly as big of a deal as they are now:

In 2001, Daft Punk released this sophomore full length which basically made them superstars. If you're unfamiliar with the Daft sound, this is a good intro. It's much poppier than Homework and has most of the hits you might know by them (no "Around the World" though). They go straight pop here- unapologetically, proudly, and completely. If you doubt the confidence of these Frenchies, how about the fact that the album starts off huge with the singles "One More Time" and "Digital Love" These are followed by "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger," one of the few songs that can make me do the full Woodman olympic-edition dance (another one is "Vibeology"). But that's just to smash you over the head: the Daft sound is also defined by warm, bassy synth lines, weaving their way liquidly through garage disco and house loops, all hot chocolate for the ears. These guys can go on for hours about who their influences are, and in fact spend much of the album doing so. Take the luxurious "Something About Us," which uses a slowed-down Patrice Rushen type bassline under Quincy Jones guitar licks and an Air-y ambience before Serge Gainsbourg on a vocoder starts singing. Whoa, slow down, influences! There's also the Moroder-like composition "Verdis Quo," the sequencing stutters of "Face to Face," cosmic disco looping "Voyager," etc etc. Basically, if you like video games, the Beach Boys, Metro Area, and dancing, you will like this. 14 tracks total in a full gatefold sleeve.

• black double vinyl pressing
• housed in gatefold jacket w/ glossy printed inner sleeves
• music label: Daft Life 2022

reviewed by the Woodman 02/2006