Daft Punk: Biography

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Formed:

Jan 1, 1992 in Paris, France

Genre:

Electronic & Dance Music

Decades Active:

1990's|2000's

Artistic Quality

High

Cultural Impact

High

Popularity

High

Ratings Guide

In similar company with newschool French progressive dance artists such as Motorbass, Air, Cassius and Dimitri from Paris, Parisian duo Daft Punk have quickly risen to acclaim by adapting a love for firstwave acid house and techno to their younger roots in pop, indie rock, and hiphop. The combined talents of DJs GuyManuel De HomemChristo and Thomas Bangalter, the pair's first projects together included Darling, a voiceless indie cover band; their current recording name derives from a review in U.K. music weekly Melody Maker of a compilation tape Darling were featured on, released by krautrock revivalists Stereolab (their lofi DIY cover of a Beach Boys song was derided as "daft punk"). Subsequently ditching the almost inevitable creative culdesac of rock for the more appealing rush of the dancefloor, the pair released their debut single, "The New Wave," in 1993 on the celebrated Soma label. Instantly hailed by the dance music press as the work of a new breed of house innovators, the single was followed by "Da Funk," the band's first true hit (the record has sold 30,000 copies worldwide and seen thorough rinsings by everyone from Kris Needs to the Chemical Brothers).

Although the group had only released a trio of singles ("The New Wave" and "Da Funk," as well as the 1996 limited pressing of "Musique"), in early 1996 Daft Punk were the subject of a minor bidding war. The group eventually signed with Virgin, with their first longplayer, Homework, appearing early the following year (a brief preview of the album, "Musique," was also featured on the Virgin compilation Wipeout 2097 next to tracks from Photek, Future Sound of London, the Chemical Brothers, and Source Direct). As with the earlier singles, the group's sound is a brazen, dancefloororiented blend of progressive house, funk, electro, and techno, with sprinklings of hiphopstyled breakbeats and excessive, crowdfiring samples, similar to other anthemic dancefusion acts such as the Chemical Brothers and Monkey Mafia. In addition to his role in Daft Punk, Thomas Bangalter operates the Roule label and has recorded under his own name (the underground smash "Trax on Da Rocks") as well as Stardust (the huge club/commercial hit "Music Sounds Better with You"). After four long years of anxiously awaiting a followup to their brilliant debut, Daft Punk finally issued Discovery in March 2001.

- Sean Cooper, All Music Guide