Daft Punk were put into the spotlight with the release of this album. Although they had made classic tunes before, this album is a newer release, a bit of a mixed bag. Let’s hear it and see why.

We begin with Give Life Back To Music which begins with some interesting sounds, before a funky Fender Stratocaster style sound enters. Some computerized vocals then enter, showcasing a different and new sound. The guitar playing throughout is excellent and unique, and this whole thing sounds pretty cool. A fresh and inspired listen, heavily influenced by Disco music. This sounds unlike anything else, and is a very good musical experience. Cool stuff.

Next is The Game Of Love which sounds like funky Disco from a video game. It has some computerized singing which has a hint of melancholy about it, and singing about heartbreak. It is a good piece which has likely been forgotten over time. Some unusual keyboard sounding harmonies are here as well. Good, but dreary. It is a drag to listen to towards the end.

Giorgio by Moroder is a good piece which is more or less a continuation of the previous song musically, but has guest Giorgio Moroder doing some commentary about becoming a musician. This is quite good to hear at the start, before the track goes into a spacey sounding Funk based tune that sounds very similar to what has come before. It’s not the most original piece from this album, but still sounds okay. There is a quirky midsection here that sounds different. There is a beautiful string section in the middle that changes the way the track is, and indeed, gets you deeper into the music. Some real drum sounds are here in the second half, along with some gurgling bass guitar to match. There is a noisy outro to this track.

Within begins with some classical sounding piano to it, and is a lot shorter than the previous track. It sounds like a real grand piano here, and there is an air of melancholy about this track. More robotic vocals are here, along with other instrumentation, and this whole piece sounds really dreary. It needn’t be so for this album, but unfortunately it is. Skip this one if you can, nothing great nor special about it. The fact that this has a guest appearance on this track doesn’t change the fact it is garbage, sadly.

Next is Instant Crush (feat. Julian Casablancas) which is another morbid sounding piece with chugging electric guitar and nothing really good to hear in terms of mood lifting. Yes, this is good music but it sounds so depressing for the type of music that it is difficult to get into. Good sounds and all, just not that inspired or happy. It sounds like a drag, and the electric guitar solo here is awful. Forgettable. Not good at all.

Following is Lose Yourself To Dance (feat. Pharrell Williams) which is a definite improvement on the previous track, but still has an air of melancholy about it. It is a better track, although it is quite clear that Daft Punk’s best days are behind them at this point. Kind of catchy in a weird way, it still sounds very uninspired for this sort of music. This is very disappointing a listen of an album so far, and Daft Punk can and have done better prior to this. Dull and ordinary. The quacky guitar sound and Pharrell Williams’s singing are good, but that’s about it.

Touch (feat. Paul Williams) begins with some spacey noises, which is actually quite nice to hear. Some outer space and science fiction sounds are here, and this piece is actually quite good. Some sampled vocals, sounding like out of an alien movie, are here as well. It then goes into another song that is actually quite decent. Some of the sounds here are quite good, with a throwback approach to 1970s Disco music. It goes into a strange midsection that is definitely unusual to hear. Some interesting sounds are here, especially in the second half of this track. Good, but a little long at around eight minutes long. It has a weird outro that doesn’t sound very good at all.

Get Lucky (feat. Pharrell Williams & Nile Rodgers) is the extended studio version of the classic hit by Daft Punk that was a huge song around the release of this album. It’s easy to see why, this is a great, optimistic and classic tune from Daft Punk that is great to hear any time. It is driven by funky guitar from Nile Rodgers, great singing from Pharrell Williams and expert musicianship by Daft Punk. The whole thing sounds excellent, a must hear. It demands repeat listens, too. Nice tune.

Next is Beyond which is a shorter piece with some classical music style strings in it. It is then promptly ruined by going into a dull track that doesn’t seem like a proper effort that is at all good to hear. This is such a disappointment, and the album is let down by its repetitive nature and sour mood. This sounds like banging one’s head against a brick wall, so do avoid if you can. It goes on and on towards the end.

Following is Motherboard which refers to the main part of a computer. This piece sounds like a slight improvement over what has come before. There is some very good drumming in particular, and this does sound like a better effort. There are also some cool flute sounds here too. A gentle and relaxing listen, this does sound really great. Midway through are some liquid sounds, before some breakbeats and other freaky noises enter. A good exercise in musicianship. It finishes with some water sounds.

Fragments Of Time (feat. Todd Edwards) comes next. This is also somewhat an improvement over the rest of the album as it is a decent piece of music. The singing by our guest is quite good too. Short, sweet and unique, this is a pleasant listen to hear. Influenced heavily by Disco music, this is a good song. There is a electronic saxophone solo here, which sounds excellent. An improvement nonetheless. A bit long though.

Doin’ It Right (feat. Panda Bear) sounds fairly naff at the start. It is an okay listen, but nothing that says it is a classic song, or album, for the matter. It seems as though Daft Punk were simply doing an exercise in sonic tricks, and that is about it. Otherwise, another forgettable track.

Last is Contact which is a six and a half minute long piece. It has some NASA like radio talk about sensing an object in outer space which is unusual. It then goes into an EDM style organ piece. Some drums shortly kick in, and this track actually proves itself to be a really good listening experience. A good way to finish off a mixed bag of an album. It sounds like a powerful piece by Daft Punk. Some imaginative and interesting sounds are here, which are really quite good. The outro is amazing.

Okay, this is not as good as it is hyped up to be. Yes, there are moments here, but overall this is fairly forgettable, unless you are a big Daft Punk fan. It’d be a better idea to check out their earlier work rather than this album. It’s okay, but only okay.

Mixed.

6/10