Random Access Memories
by Daft Punk
  • Record Label: Columbia
  • Release Date: May 21, 2013
User Score
8.4

Universal acclaim- based on 1206 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,050 out of 1206
  2. Mixed: 78 out of 1206
  3. Negative: 78 out of 1206
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  1. Lodz
    May 22, 2013
    10
    One cannot expect anything stronger this year. To dance and to contemplate. A bombastic return of disco gods. Panda Bear and Moroder as cherries on top of a pie are tasteful. Yummy.
  2. SimoneSartirani
    May 22, 2013
    10
    I was waiting for their album since 2007,the wait is over and i couldn't be more happy by the results.Very,very different from all the previous album,with more lyrics and less actual EDM in it,but as others pointed out this could be considered a prequel to all the others album.
  3. AlexeyxDD
    May 22, 2013
    9
    It is a great album and a great disappointment for Daft Punk fans, especially those who expected something like Discovery or Human After All. For me every song felt like wtf. I wanted an album full of Alive 2007 level tracks. However, after listening to that Random Access Memories for several hours I realised that it is absolutely brilliant. Daft Punk were criticised for having lifelessIt is a great album and a great disappointment for Daft Punk fans, especially those who expected something like Discovery or Human After All. For me every song felt like wtf. I wanted an album full of Alive 2007 level tracks. However, after listening to that Random Access Memories for several hours I realised that it is absolutely brilliant. Daft Punk were criticised for having lifeless robotic songs and they've shown that they can put soul in their tracks.… Expand
  4. biker_lx
    May 22, 2013
    9
    Daft Punk went on by a different and more difficult way !And in my opinion this succeed It is something that comes back to the roots and during the entire album has a history and a sense. It is not an album that people will love at the first listening. But when you enter the story it becomes more and more addicted...to the sound. I do not give a 10 because a thing the album it a bit tooDaft Punk went on by a different and more difficult way !And in my opinion this succeed It is something that comes back to the roots and during the entire album has a history and a sense. It is not an album that people will love at the first listening. But when you enter the story it becomes more and more addicted...to the sound. I do not give a 10 because a thing the album it a bit too long But ...definitely something fresh … Expand
  5. sammydeedge
    May 22, 2013
    4
    I am quite the Daft Punk fan so I ran out and bought this soon after getting it. However, this is not your usual Daft Punk album. It has a much more jazzy feel, which I didn't expect. Sure the robot sound comes out at times, however this is definitely a highly jazz-influenced album. Whilst I like this new direction I miss the old Daft Punk, and ultimately the tracks blur into each other aI am quite the Daft Punk fan so I ran out and bought this soon after getting it. However, this is not your usual Daft Punk album. It has a much more jazzy feel, which I didn't expect. Sure the robot sound comes out at times, however this is definitely a highly jazz-influenced album. Whilst I like this new direction I miss the old Daft Punk, and ultimately the tracks blur into each other a bit too much for my liking. Ultimately, a new and interesting direction on paper, but Memories is rather unmemorable.… Expand
  6. RippedCurtain
    May 22, 2013
    9
    Daft Punk's most intelligent and deepest album to date, absolutely phenomenal. The scale of song's such as 'Touch', 'Giorgio by Moroder' and 'Contact' prove that Daft Punk are STILL ahead of the curve. Personal favourites are, 'Give Life back to Music', 'Touch', 'Instant Crush', 'Get Lucky', 'Doin' it Right' and of course the epic 'Giorgio By Moroder'.
  7. togopogo
    May 21, 2013
    10
    An instant summer classic. This album didn't deserve the hype it deserved much more. Daft Punk has brought us back to the root of dance and electronic, showing us that even the most pure and organic sounds are able to synthesize into a masterpiece.

    "I am deeply respectful of somebody who expresses their craft and their art, without the hunger, for the public attention. They (Daft    An instant summer classic. This album didn't deserve the hype it deserved much more. Daft Punk has brought us back to the root of dance and electronic, showing us that even the most pure and organic sounds are able to synthesize into a masterpiece.

    "I am deeply respectful of somebody who expresses their craft and their art, without the hunger, for the public attention. They (Daft Punk) disconnect who they are to allow you to experience what they create." Paul Williams    … Expand
  8. JorgeMSilber
    May 21, 2013
    10
    Simply, Amazing! After the not so succesful "Human After All" Daft Punk comes back with their most polished and refined work to date. The French Duo has left its Teenage Wildstyle roots and made a more mature album.All the songs have soul and a different feeling, which gets never boring. Altough there are a few weak songs such as Motherboard and The Game of Love, the overall quality isSimply, Amazing! After the not so succesful "Human After All" Daft Punk comes back with their most polished and refined work to date. The French Duo has left its Teenage Wildstyle roots and made a more mature album.All the songs have soul and a different feeling, which gets never boring. Altough there are a few weak songs such as Motherboard and The Game of Love, the overall quality is outstanding.
    Definitely a must-buy for electro-dance genre lovers, new Daft Punk fans and old Daft Punk fans. PERIOD!!    … Expand
  9. le_one
    May 21, 2013
    10
    The hype this album had did not disappoint me. It was totally worth the wait. With epic pop songs like "Get Lucky" and "Instant Crush", this perfectly crafted masterpiece takes you to beautiful deep moments with "Within" and makes you want to shake your body with "Lose Yourself to Dance". "Give Life Back to Music" works as the perfect opener for this album and "Contact"... Guess what? TheThe hype this album had did not disappoint me. It was totally worth the wait. With epic pop songs like "Get Lucky" and "Instant Crush", this perfectly crafted masterpiece takes you to beautiful deep moments with "Within" and makes you want to shake your body with "Lose Yourself to Dance". "Give Life Back to Music" works as the perfect opener for this album and "Contact"... Guess what? The perfect ending. A huge epic ending.
    "Giorgio by Moroder" is a smart lengthy track that takes you into a trip inside Giorgio's musical life and, along with "Touch", is diverse and full of changes. "Fragments of Time" completes the album with its wonderful smooth ballad that leads us to "Doin' It Right", an excellent contribution with Panda Bear. This is one of those rare masterpieces that deserve the highest score possible. All the contributions here are magical: Pharrell Williams (tracks 6 and 8), Julian Casablancas (track 5) and Chilly Gonzales (track 4), just to name a few.
    Right away, from the first listen, you can tell that lots of time, dedication and love for music were put into this record. And the result... Well. let the numbers speak for itself.    … Expand
  10. ajaj545
    May 21, 2013
    10
    Personally, I loved this album. Being a fan of their Homework and Discovery albums, I couldn't wait for RAM. It is genius how it combines music of the 70s, 80s, 90s, and today all in to one fresh album. "Give Life Back to Music" is a great way to start the album, as an exciting banger with Nile Rodger's riffs. Then, "The Game of Love" is a laid back, slow, mysterious sounding song. It is aPersonally, I loved this album. Being a fan of their Homework and Discovery albums, I couldn't wait for RAM. It is genius how it combines music of the 70s, 80s, 90s, and today all in to one fresh album. "Give Life Back to Music" is a great way to start the album, as an exciting banger with Nile Rodger's riffs. Then, "The Game of Love" is a laid back, slow, mysterious sounding song. It is a great song, but is easily overlooked by the "standouts" of the album. "Giorgio by Moroder" is one of my favorite songs on the album. It starts off with Giorgio Moroder narrating the early stages of his musical career, and then next thing you know a synthesizer tune, a remake of a tune of one of Moroder's original works, is piercing into your ears. Simple at first, but then there's a jazzy keyboard solo, then a bass solo, and towards the end there's suddenly an orchestra and an electric guitar and then this huge explosion of harmonies of tons of different instrumental elements blasts in your ear, all complimenting the basic synthesizer tune. Pure brilliant. Next is "Within", another slow song with melancholy lyrics, with Chilly Gonzales playing piano. Great song, but like "The Game of Love", it is constantly overlooked by the standout songs. After is "Instant Crush", a much more upbeat song with Julian Casablancas' vocoder vocals. Great song, but not one of my favorites on the album. After is "Lose Yourself to Dance", an extra funky disco jam with Nile Rodger's guitar riffs and Pharrell's MJ-like vocals. Probably one of the best dance songs on the album. Then is "Touch", featuring legendary singer/songwriter Paul Williams. Starting off with a strange, almost haunting distorted voice of Paul. Then fast piano-playing occurs, very upbeat, but then a strange children-choir joins, singing "If love is the answer then hold, hold on." Great song overall. Next is the most popular song, the one and only "Get Lucky", the other catchy disco groove with Pharrell vocals and Nile guitar riffs. The song is plain fun. Next is "Beyond", starting off with an orchestral theme, which could even be mistaken for the theme of a science fiction movie, then leading into a slow funky jam. Next is "Motherboard", an interesting jam as well, with interesting percussion drums and a mystical flute. After is "Fragments of Time". With the smooth vocals of Todd Edwards and the relaxed mood of the song, it makes you feel like you're driving down a Californian summer beach. Next is "Doin it Right" featuring Panda Bear of Animal Collective. This song is simple, but a great listen, probably the song on the album that sounds the most like Daft Punk's older stuff. Last but not least is "Contact", which was produced with DJ Falcon. This song is great, using the only sampling on the album, sampling The Sherb's "We Ride Tonight". The track is the best modern banger of the album and a great way to close the album.

    Overall, the album is phenomenal. Although, if you expected Random Access Memories to be like Daft Punk's older stuff, prepare to be disappointed. However if you open up your mind, I'm sure you'll love this album. Listen to the album at least twice before you have an official view on it, because the album is so massive it takes a while to digest. Great album Daft Punk, one of the best I've heard in a very long time.    … Expand
  11. ruffus3000
    May 21, 2013
    10
    A very good album. I really was disappointed with the tron legacy soundtrack, but throughout all the album, you realize that they are the best! oh yes
  12. Daftified
    May 21, 2013
    5
    I'm amazed by all the high reviews for RAM. I can only think that people are so willing to accept the message of this album, in a time of whats been called the "soulless dubstep era" that they're completely blinded to its faults. I'm a die hard Daft Punk fan. I'll be listening to their previous albums for the rest of my life. Even Human After All is one of my favorites. I never understoodI'm amazed by all the high reviews for RAM. I can only think that people are so willing to accept the message of this album, in a time of whats been called the "soulless dubstep era" that they're completely blinded to its faults. I'm a die hard Daft Punk fan. I'll be listening to their previous albums for the rest of my life. Even Human After All is one of my favorites. I never understood the dislike for HAA, because those same fans will turn around and go nuts whenever they hear Technologic or Robot Rock. That said, I'll be lucky to get through RAM more then a handful of times. While listening to the album I tried my best to imagine myself dancing to the beat at a live performance and I couldn't do it. The further I got into RAM I was slapped in the face with the realization that Daft Punk had no intention of making an EDM album. I would have known this beforehand by doing some research, but I wanted to embrace RAM with no expectation of what it would be like. Unfortunately, I'm sorely disappointed. It seriously pains me to rate a Daft Punk album anything lower then a 10. But it seems that for the first time, Daft Punk didn't make an album for us. They made the album that they wanted us to hear. To the point where its glaringly preachy. To me this is a serious problem because thats not what Daft Punk has ever been about. They wear those masks because they didn't want to be rock stars. They didnt need to show themselves or speak on behalf of their music. Their intent was always clear in their work. They wanted to make good dance music. It was never about sending a message or trying outright to be meaningful. And now they're trying so desperately to get the message of "real music" across to us, that wearing masks has become absolutely pointless. People seem to not realize (daft punk included at this point) that music doesn't need to send a message to be meaningful. Their old albums made me and millions of fans want to get up and dance. Dancing is the purest form of expression, so what could be more meaningful then that? Just one play through of RAM is enough to tell you that they've obviously become so upset with the EDM scene, that they wanted to completely remove themselves from the equation. There are some good tracks like Giorgio and the soaringly brilliant Contact, but for the most part, its a slow trudge that actually made me feel a bit depressed while listening to it. I still have hope that Daft Punk will release an EDM masterpiece One More Time, but it seems that they would rather give up on the genre they popularized, instead of trying to reshape it.… Expand
  13. PCgamr12
    May 21, 2013
    10
    After a long wait, it's finally here, and it was WORTH it! Daft Punk have succeeded in making a fun, cool, and sometimes beautiful album that is going to be entertaining me for a long time to come. It is a true "album", with motifs, progression and an intro and outro. This is not just an album of singles and filler. Every track works and is enjoyable, but not always for the same reason.After a long wait, it's finally here, and it was WORTH it! Daft Punk have succeeded in making a fun, cool, and sometimes beautiful album that is going to be entertaining me for a long time to come. It is a true "album", with motifs, progression and an intro and outro. This is not just an album of singles and filler. Every track works and is enjoyable, but not always for the same reason. The songs on Random Access Memories are diverse and distinct, each being unique in it's own way. Some are fun like "instant crush", some are epic like "touch", and some are beautiful like "within". All the collaborating artists are used well, never overstay their welcome, and do their damnedest to make this album a great listen. That really sums up the album as a whole, everyone working hard to make this album something truly great, and I'd say they succeeded.… Expand
  14. josshh70
    May 21, 2013
    10
    well i think this album is honestly is the best album daft punk has ever released. It has lived up to all the rant and rave about it too it was well worth the wait. Some songs on this album seem to be repetitive but good. I think this album is getting a Grammy no matter what and if it doesn't I call shenanigans... That's all folk I would highly recommend purchasing this album.
  15. crazilon
    May 21, 2013
    10
    Absolutely amazing and compelling album which takes you back—to the future. It compeleld me in each song, and when I wasn't listening to it I was still inevitably dancing. AMAZING album.
  16. Jinxes
    May 21, 2013
    10
    I love this album and I love how Daft Punk continue to evolve their sound and experiment. It's almost never the exact same thing from them. I can't to hear what they will do next.
  17. daftbread
    May 21, 2013
    9
    A great and ambitious album thats not afraid to be softer at times. Nothing on this album feels like its on a grid like most music today especially electronic music. It flows completely different genres into one another beautifully. Daft Punk definitely nailed the emotion they were going for which is refreshing but the only problem this triumph of an album has is that it lacks the energyA great and ambitious album thats not afraid to be softer at times. Nothing on this album feels like its on a grid like most music today especially electronic music. It flows completely different genres into one another beautifully. Daft Punk definitely nailed the emotion they were going for which is refreshing but the only problem this triumph of an album has is that it lacks the energy some people would expect from electronic music. The hype for this album is just met but not exceeded. Tracks like Beyond and Game of Love can make you feel sleepy but dancing to them definitely wasnt the intent. This album wont make you feel like you got off a roller coaster but rather like you just saw the grand canyon.… Expand
  18. fdiogo
    May 21, 2013
    10
    A must buy. Although it feels a bit strange the first you hear the album, the more you listen the more you fall in love with it. Every song feels like a masterpiece. To fully enjoy the album you must be open to new things but my god, does it worth it... Daft Punk talk to you through melodies, the songs will make you think and they will trully speak to your core. Mind blowing.
  19. Spangle
    May 21, 2013
    6
    With this album, the highs are extremely high and the lows are quite low. Tracks like "Instant Crush" are far too poppy for my liking, but then tracks like "Give Life Back to Music" and "Within" are exquisite. Too hit-and-miss as an overall project, unfortunately.
  20. LonePiper
    May 21, 2013
    7
    I'm about as hardcore a daft punk fan as you can get, yet after listening to this album about six times straight I still can't make my mind up about it.
    In my mind the two Parisians are still about the only artists that know how to use a vocoder properly, and by this album they have almost perfected it to an art rather than just bluntly using it as a weapon to mask a singer's inability    I'm about as hardcore a daft punk fan as you can get, yet after listening to this album about six times straight I still can't make my mind up about it.
    In my mind the two Parisians are still about the only artists that know how to use a vocoder properly, and by this album they have almost perfected it to an art rather than just bluntly using it as a weapon to mask a singer's inability by making them sound like a robot, they go for making a robot sound almost human. The fact that they add vocoder to proven singers' performances (extra points if you know who I mean!) just reinforces this point.
    However, I have to admit I never experienced the pure joy I got from listening to Discovery for the first time, the overwhelming and spine tingling inspiration from Tron Legacy or the unbridled enthusiasm from Homework with this album. The amount of time, effort and relish the Daft Punk boys put into this album are clear, but in the end it's not something that really sweeps me away like (most of) their previous releases do.    … Expand
  21. Shagfu
    May 21, 2013
    10
    This year marks the famous robotic duo Daft Punk's 20th year as a band and the release of their long awaited fourth studio album, Random Access Memories. Being announced a little over a month before its release, R.A.M. created a huge amount of hype and remixes from ads, TV spots, and a website makeover. Being my favorite band and artists of my favorite album, I was anxious to get my handsThis year marks the famous robotic duo Daft Punk's 20th year as a band and the release of their long awaited fourth studio album, Random Access Memories. Being announced a little over a month before its release, R.A.M. created a huge amount of hype and remixes from ads, TV spots, and a website makeover. Being my favorite band and artists of my favorite album, I was anxious to get my hands on Daft Punk's new album and for eight years, it was well worth the wait. Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo does not disappoint with these thirteen tracks and hour and a quarter of pure French House bliss. R.A.M. feels more like an experience more than an album with stand out songs such as Touch, Instant Crush, Get Lucky, and more. I highly recommend you pick up this phenomenal new album available on CD, vinyl, and digital download as soon as possible.… Expand
  22. Geologist
    May 21, 2013
    7
    When I first listened to Random Access Memories, I had a blast. Sure, there were a few tracks I didn't like, but I enjoyed a damn good portion of it, and after spinning it a few times, I realized that I didn't care about it anymore. Daft Punk's homage to 70's disco, jazz fusion and soft rock is an interesting direction to choose, but it's only meant to be loved once.
  23. Jcelsius
    May 21, 2013
    10
    Not the album you would expect, but that's part of what makes it great. It covers new ground and catches you unsuspecting for a sucker punch of the old mixed the new. If you're coming into this strictly wanting the electronic music you've come to love from Daft Punk, you're not going to have a good time, but if you're open to new possibilities you're going to love what you hear.

    On a    Not the album you would expect, but that's part of what makes it great. It covers new ground and catches you unsuspecting for a sucker punch of the old mixed the new. If you're coming into this strictly wanting the electronic music you've come to love from Daft Punk, you're not going to have a good time, but if you're open to new possibilities you're going to love what you hear.

    On a side note, some people complain about the beginning to Giorgio by Moroder because there is a considerable bit of talking, but this is just part of the groove. It's not an interview as much as another instrument to add atmosphere.

    The 10 I gave this album is not hyperbole. It is quite simply at a level of excellence that truly deserves a perfect score.    … Expand
  24. Pixeliux
    May 21, 2013
    10
    They gave life back to music. We need this king of music nowadays. "New" music is mostly repetitive and talk about the same: getting yourselves drunk because you have to enjoy life, being rich is amazing and you can do whatever you want (seariously is sad how many songs talk about that), SWAG. And all those stupid things that music these days mention that we forget the main reason ofThey gave life back to music. We need this king of music nowadays. "New" music is mostly repetitive and talk about the same: getting yourselves drunk because you have to enjoy life, being rich is amazing and you can do whatever you want (seariously is sad how many songs talk about that), SWAG. And all those stupid things that music these days mention that we forget the main reason of music: To Lose Ourselves to Dance. 10/10… Expand
  25. jcwillia1
    May 21, 2013
    6
    This is a very good album. It's just not the album I expected (or really wanted) from Daft Punk.

    Daft Punk has become known for their electronic stylings and for virtually inventing the French House electronic music genre. None of that is in evidence here. Furthermore, the 1:45 interview in a crowded restaurant with Giovanni Giorgio is interesting the first time and ridiculous every    This is a very good album. It's just not the album I expected (or really wanted) from Daft Punk.

    Daft Punk has become known for their electronic stylings and for virtually inventing the French House electronic music genre. None of that is in evidence here. Furthermore, the 1:45 interview in a crowded restaurant with Giovanni Giorgio is interesting the first time and ridiculous every time after that.

    That being said, if you love jazzy electric guitar riffs that were in vogue 30-40 years ago, this album is for you.    … Expand
  26. bizarrojerri
    May 21, 2013
    9
    Daft Punk were in danger of becoming a musical norm, the dowdy ordinary, the discarded gold standard, a flaking blueprint packed away in the archives, never to be consulted again. Until they create an album like Random Access Memories, possibly the world’s most misunderstood album ever recorded.

    RAM is a bold and unashamedly gushing love letter to disco. Whether this is good or bad    Daft Punk were in danger of becoming a musical norm, the dowdy ordinary, the discarded gold standard, a flaking blueprint packed away in the archives, never to be consulted again. Until they create an album like Random Access Memories, possibly the world’s most misunderstood album ever recorded.

    RAM is a bold and unashamedly gushing love letter to disco. Whether this is good or bad thing, time and repeat listens will decide.

    A lot of critique of the album during the initial frenzied clamour to define or, more often than not, to deride Daft Punk’s intentions here, were about the sound of RAM it doesn’t sound like a real Daft Punk album, more akin to being labelled as a derivative disco record. Some unjustly comparisons went as far as likening it to a collection of lost Steely Dan demos and a bad Michael McDonald album. Maybe I’m in the minority here, but I like Steely Dan and Michael McDonald, I wish there were more records like them, unapologetic fluffy pop-jazz-funk hybrids with great competent live instrumentation that’s not always showy, but full of interesting ideas. RAM is an album that fits that description.

    Giorgio By Moroder featuring, naturally, Giorgio Moroder on spoken word, reminiscing on the origins of his long musical career and overall aesthetic philosophy, while around it, like faithful disciples, Daft Punk build a little epic 9-minute sonata that segues from pulsing synth modulations into dinner party disco funk, then, unexpectedly, a sharp right turn into triumphant orchestration for an underdog movie and then straight down into a solid bass, drum and guitar stadium sized jam anthem, all the while Uncle Giorgio explaining his musical raison d'être, and indeed the overall message of Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories:

    “…once you free your mind about the concept of harmony and of music being correct, you can do whatever you want…nobody told me what to do, there was no preconception…”

    *edited from full review available at bizarrojerri.wordpress.com    … Expand
  27. benrankel
    May 21, 2013
    10
    This album is every bit new and different and yet uniquely and 100% Daft Punk.

    A first play through introduces you to a whole new sound. A second play through will get you into the groove. By the third play through you're picking up the details, flourishes and Daft Punkisms that have informed every single album they've made to date. It's dance, it's progressive, it's electronic, it's    This album is every bit new and different and yet uniquely and 100% Daft Punk.

    A first play through introduces you to a whole new sound. A second play through will get you into the groove. By the third play through you're picking up the details, flourishes and Daft Punkisms that have informed every single album they've made to date. It's dance, it's progressive, it's electronic, it's disco, it's brilliant.

    Don't miss this album.    … Expand
  28. Ifyoudoitright
    May 21, 2013
    9
    This album is good, yeah if you’re some kind of Daft Punk purist you’re going to have some issues, Its ok tho, there’s some stuff you’ll like. For everyone else, its a rich rewarding listen. A funky guitar laden, synthesizer based ode to music and love. It’s slow at times, but that pace allows you to enjoy the freedom with which the band experiments with sounds and textures. This albumThis album is good, yeah if you’re some kind of Daft Punk purist you’re going to have some issues, Its ok tho, there’s some stuff you’ll like. For everyone else, its a rich rewarding listen. A funky guitar laden, synthesizer based ode to music and love. It’s slow at times, but that pace allows you to enjoy the freedom with which the band experiments with sounds and textures. This album isn’t revolutionary, Daft Punk no longer is trying to establish a sound. This is just them doing what they do best.… Expand
  29. wesbubbles
    May 21, 2013
    7
    This album isn't bad but it just isn't what I was expecting. RAM has it's moments that make you just want to get up and dance, but its missing that true Daft Punk feel of their prior albums. I think it stems from the use of other vocalists, it really takes away from the album to the point where some songs do not even sound like they are Daft Punk. Songs I love: Give Life Back To Music,This album isn't bad but it just isn't what I was expecting. RAM has it's moments that make you just want to get up and dance, but its missing that true Daft Punk feel of their prior albums. I think it stems from the use of other vocalists, it really takes away from the album to the point where some songs do not even sound like they are Daft Punk. Songs I love: Give Life Back To Music, The Game of Love, and Contact.… Expand
  30. alexandermagnum
    May 21, 2013
    9
    Random Access Memories is certainly surprising. Daft Punk have broken my expectatives, i expect something different but the results are very much better. Is a personal work, a headphones album, with great coherence, a strict sense of narrative in some songs of the album. Is great to hear the way that electronic music converts in an album with a several symphony arrangements. I rememberRandom Access Memories is certainly surprising. Daft Punk have broken my expectatives, i expect something different but the results are very much better. Is a personal work, a headphones album, with great coherence, a strict sense of narrative in some songs of the album. Is great to hear the way that electronic music converts in an album with a several symphony arrangements. I remember 70's albums of Pink Floyd, Queen, works with a common line, telling us a musical story. Is my favourite since Discovery, and Giorgio By Moroder is a little master piece, and Touch a curiously and complex work that will divide listeners. You may not dance, but if you have sensitivity, you'll feel and you can't stop listening.… Expand
  31. Heaviermetal
    May 21, 2013
    1
    This is the by far, the worst thing to ever come out of Daft Punk but here's a 1 for trying to do something new. For me, its far from what made them good and therefore will not support this or any further albums if this is the crap they want to shovel.
  32. fausto
    May 21, 2013
    6
    Good album, but, by the expectations, nothing really original. nothing like discovery or human after all. Some of the songs reminds to Tron album, and the best songs are very similar: similar base and rhythm.
    Despite the non-originality fact, Random access memories still an enjoyable album, well done and with a good potential. that's the 4th albume relased by the most famous electro music    Good album, but, by the expectations, nothing really original. nothing like discovery or human after all. Some of the songs reminds to Tron album, and the best songs are very similar: similar base and rhythm.
    Despite the non-originality fact, Random access memories still an enjoyable album, well done and with a good potential. that's the 4th albume relased by the most famous electro music artist in the world. If the next album will be like this, the wave of criticism will be higher, so be careful, daft punk!    … Expand
  33. raylang
    May 21, 2013
    9
    I knew this album would be brilliant. I knew the moment the 90-minute teaser was shown at Coachella. I knew the moment Pharrell appeared in an interview for the album and described the band as “gracious robots” whose purpose is to enhance the lives of those on “this oblong rock that we call home.” Despite the veritable blitzkrieg of marketing, ads, press, interviews, teasers and snippets,I knew this album would be brilliant. I knew the moment the 90-minute teaser was shown at Coachella. I knew the moment Pharrell appeared in an interview for the album and described the band as “gracious robots” whose purpose is to enhance the lives of those on “this oblong rock that we call home.” Despite the veritable blitzkrieg of marketing, ads, press, interviews, teasers and snippets, no one seemed to get sick of seeing the masked heads of Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo plastered on walls all around the world.

    Gone are the grinding drums and the grating bursts of synth. In their place are lush strings and astonishingly delicate live drumming. The robot voices have been softened to sound less alien, and more alienated. It’s all tied up by the hyperkinetic guitar work of Nile Rogers, the legend behind “We Are Family,” “Freak Out,” and “Let’s Dance.” This album is funky, groovy, soulful, and has a distinctive human touch. This isn’t music you do the robot to; the ‘robo-boogie’ Flight of the Conchords sing about in “The Humans Are Dead” is more appropriate.

    The album’s opening track is “Give Life Back To Music,” a beautiful four minutes of muted guitars. From the outset, it’s clear that Daft Punk are using real musicians–instead of working from technology as they did before, they recruited some of the best session musicians in LA, New York, Paris and London to really bring their music to life. The song’s title is in keeping with Thomas Bangalter (the silver-masked robot)’s statement regarding the band’s shift away from computers: "In a computer, everything is recallable all the time, but life is a succession of events that only happen once,” he proclaimed. This song (and indeed, the rest of the album) has warmth and human fallibility that is conspicuously absent from standard electronic music.

    The best songs on the album are the ones that most subvert our expectations of Daft Punk. “Giorgio by Moroder” is a freak-out of synths and drumming so intricate that it wouldn’t be out of place on a free jazz album. Flea-esque bass solos are thrown in for good measure, alongside some scratching that furthers the song’s ‘live’ feel. Passages of spoken word outlining the history of disco (during which the whole track slows down and adopts a hushed tone) are interspersed with this frenetic backing track. Mesmerising.

    “Instant Crush” features Julian Casablancas from The Strokes, and sounds like what the Strokes’ latest album could’ve sounded like if the rest of the band didn’t hate the 70s so much. Casablancas is predictably mournful but his voice is pitch-shifted upwards and sounds as though it has been pieced back together slightly out of sequence, lending the song a jagged, disjointed sound that perfectly suits its mood.

    The two tracks featuring Pharrell are brilliant. “Lose Yourself To Dance” has a beat that’ll see your toes tapping and shoulders jerking as you listen to it on the bus, and the ubiquitous “Get Lucky” is a perfect synthesis of every classic disco song ever made. It’s on these two songs that Nile Rogers’ pure funk shines through. “Doin’ It Right” featuring Panda Bear (from Animal Collective) is infectious: the song starts with the robots’ voices, slowly adding a tapping cymbal, followed by the snare and bass drums. It’s the only song that feels truly processed.

    The main criticism of ‘Random Access Memories’ seems to be that Daft Punk has not made a Daft Punk album. Some hard-core fans long for the harsher electronica of the duo’s earlier work, and don’t really like the way we can actually sing along to these songs. There’s no denying that songs like “Da Funk,” “Around The World,” and “Harder Better Faster Stronger” were beautiful. They had a coarse, sparse, circular quality but in my opinion, grew tiresome after a few listens. “Random Access Memories” is a more conventional album of ‘normal’ songs. While it’s going to turn off some fans, it’s definitely going to allow the duo to win a new audience–an audience that I’m proudly part of. Plain and simple, Daft Punk have made a brilliant album. It is a piece of art that should be treasured, listened to repeatedly, remixed and covered by every bedroom virtuoso in the world.    … Expand
  34. MSkeggers
    May 21, 2013
    10
    Random Access Memories is in the simplest of terms a triumph. Despite Daft Punk's robotic visage, every song on the album feels incredibly heartfelt, from the love letter to the Synthesizer that is Giorgio by Moroder, to the laid back and hypnotic Fragments of Time.

    Despite having few collaborations prior to this record, Daft Punk clearly know how to get the best out of their new    Random Access Memories is in the simplest of terms a triumph. Despite Daft Punk's robotic visage, every song on the album feels incredibly heartfelt, from the love letter to the Synthesizer that is Giorgio by Moroder, to the laid back and hypnotic Fragments of Time.

    Despite having few collaborations prior to this record, Daft Punk clearly know how to get the best out of their new recruits. By selectively choosing artists and musicians that they look up to and admire, Daft Punk have managed to easily intertwine their inimitable electronic class with the likes of Nile Rodgers' incredibly catchy guitars, Todd Edwards' smooth cut-ups and Panda Bear's confident indie feel.

    From the reviews and opinions I've gathered so far, the album's biggest point of contention seems to be 'Touch' the collaboration with Paul Williams. Whilst definitely not the best track on the album, it's certainly one that grows on you, especially when it hits that magnificent 3:20 mark.

    Definitely not an album that should be missed by anybody.    … Expand
  35. MooziikMaster
    May 21, 2013
    9
    After 3 years of silence, the noise has finally returned. The rightful kings of EDM (Electronic-Dance Music) are back and in full swing with their new album. The tracks ooze through the speakers with such magnificence, you will have to brace yourself to endure the exhilarating experience. The songs intertwine together, tied tightly together with a bow, and handed to you to open and enjoy.After 3 years of silence, the noise has finally returned. The rightful kings of EDM (Electronic-Dance Music) are back and in full swing with their new album. The tracks ooze through the speakers with such magnificence, you will have to brace yourself to endure the exhilarating experience. The songs intertwine together, tied tightly together with a bow, and handed to you to open and enjoy. I must say that Daft Punk may have lost some of their electronic side in the transition period, but those are minor details. It seems as if comparing Human After All with Random Access Memories is like comparing apples to oranges. Yes, they're both fruits, but they're nothing alike.

    Even from the beginning, Daft Punk make their message clear. They are trying to "Give Life Back To Music". They, unlike all pop music today, have emotion. They have rhythm and soul. So, maybe these cold, metallic robots do have hearts after all. They seem to show love and want to spread it with their music. The feel good tracks such as "Get Lucky" and "Lose Yourself To Dance" get their audience into a hypnotic state of being, mesmerized by the entrancing beats. One song in particular caught my attention. The track "The Game of Love" is a heart-wrenching masterpiece with a similar feel to "Something About Us" from Discovery. This lyrics, despite being distorted by a robotic voice, express a deep lamentation and exclamation of love.

    The first half of the album is flawless. The songs are smooth and errorless. When you slowly transition into the second half, it seems as though the songs become more ambient. They would be perfect if they were played in the background of a party, but not as frontline tracks. I'm not saying that they are bad tracks, but they lack the emotion and funkiness that is set-up in the first half. However, I am slightly disappointed with "Doin' It Right". This track features the genius vocalist/drummer Noah Lennox (or better known as Panda Bear). He is a member of one of my favourite bands, Animal Collective, and has made a splash in the electronic spectrum. I figured that the rhythm behind Animal Collective would create a heavenly collaboration with two electronic gods. I was sadly mistaken when I heard the lack-lustre track. It's not all bad, but I really expected something with a little more "oomph".

    Despite a few minor setbacks, Daft Punk have created one of the most enjoyable albums this year and continue to surprise us with new tricks up their sleeves.    … Expand
  36. Spot21
    May 21, 2013
    5
    By no means a bad album. It's just one that settles for having little ambition. The album has a much different sound compared to any of Daft Punks earlier work, which depending on whether you like or disliked their past albums could be a good or bad thing. RAM is a solid album for what it is trying to be, which is a throwback album to the 70's-80's. Many of the songs sound as if they hadBy no means a bad album. It's just one that settles for having little ambition. The album has a much different sound compared to any of Daft Punks earlier work, which depending on whether you like or disliked their past albums could be a good or bad thing. RAM is a solid album for what it is trying to be, which is a throwback album to the 70's-80's. Many of the songs sound as if they had been recorded in that era, which shows the respect the duo clearly have for the genre. Unfortunately, this is also a con. I found myself getting songs confused, as they sounded so similar to one another. And with this being a Daft Punk album, I was hoping for a fresh, almost revolutionary sound, similar with what they did to orchestrated soundtracks with Tron Legacy. But they didn't alter the sound they were trying to recreate, which was probably their choice. Song highlights of the album would probably be Doin' It Right and Get Lucky. So to recap, if you are a huge Daft Punk fan or enjoy what genre they went into with this album, you will love it. But for those expecting something revolutionary with a older fashioned Daft Punk sound, you will probably be disappointed, especially if you saw the incredibly high critic reviews, which I admit had me excited. Either way, a decent album by a great duo.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

12
#12 Best Album of 2013
7
#7 Most Discussed Album of 2013
46
#46 Most Shared Album of 2013

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
87

Universal acclaim - based on 47 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 42 out of 47
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 47
  3. Negative: 0 out of 47
  1. cokemachineglow
    Jul 12, 2013
    60
    As a record standing almost entirely on nostalgia, sure, it gives schmaltzy ’70s dance music a fine, not-sacrilegious update and sets it to a pleasant neon glow, but it’s a trip through history that’s almost more educational than immersive.
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  2. Austin Chronicle
    Jul 3, 2013
    89
    RAM has the immediate appeal of disco, but never overstuffs with candied hooks, even when we want it to.
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  3. RapReviews.com
    Jun 26, 2013
    75
    They've wisely chosen to not compete with the younger generation of DJs, and shown the upstarts the roots of dance music. They've also proven that they are not one-trick ponies who can only build beats on samples. They do just as well with a completely different sonic pallette.
    Read full review
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