Stars: 4/5
On Monday, Daft Punk announced they were retiring. It was heartbreaking for fans, but they still came together to express their love and appreciation for the French duo.
With this news, Daft Punk’s second album “Discovery” is turning 20 this year, and it’s time to look back on this iconic album that had many memorable hits.
Daft Punk’s music is known to be fun, danceable and very repetitive when it comes to lyrics. This can be seen to be true from “One More Time,” which is the first song on the album. It’s one of the many recognizable hits from Daft Punk and a strong start for the album. Also, the sampling for this song is truly insane, and it really shows how keen and innovative Daft Punk was when it came to sampling.
Daft Punk has this futuristic sound that was ahead of its time in 2001. With songs like “Aerodynamic,” “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger,” “Superheroes” and “Face to Face.” These display the futuristic sound that Daft Punk does best. Also, two of those songs are still timeless classics. “Stronger” by Kanye West makes “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” even more of a classic to appreciate.
There are a lot of classics, but they overshadow the rest of the album. “One More Time” is one of those songs that just overshadows everything else, but it gives me a greater appreciation for a song like “Digital Love.”
“Digital Love” may be familiar with fans, but it is not as well known as “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger,” “One More Time” and “Face to Face.” “Digital Love” still has that futuristic sound, but it is chill. It’s a song meant for chilling at the park and not for going crazy at the club, unless you are the type of person to go bonkers to any kind of Daft Punk song.
I also love Daft Punk’s disco inspiration in “High Life.” It is one of my favorite songs from the album. It is impossible not to dance to this song; it’s upbeat and full of soul. I always thought disco was cool, but Daft Punk brought a whole new edge to it. People may believe that disco is dead, but it’s not. It still lives on in electronic music.
Also, Daft Punk nurtures the musical seeds of the ’80s with their synths in “Short Circuit.” It is clear where Daft Punk gets their inspiration from, but Daft Punk never lost their own sound. We can also hear the funk in Daft Punk with the song “Something About Us.”
This was an impressive album for only being Daft Punk’s second. It was truly ahead of its time in 2001, and “Discovery” aged beautifully. It is fun and full of life. I will truly miss Daft Punk, but I can still appreciate their contributions to music.
Rev Rank: Remembering Daft Punk’s iconic ‘Discovery’ album
March 1, 2021