Album of the Week: Random Access Memories

by: Kitty White

Up All Night To Get Grammys

One More Time? Try Five. That’s how many grammys Daft Punk won for their most recent album Random Access Memories. Completely sweeping every category they were nominated in at the Grammys Sunday night, it’s only fair we honor the album of the year.

Random Access Memories is what all modern electronic dance music should aspire to be. Forget the dubstep, let’s disco. I don’t think there was a single booty not shaking or head bobbing during Daft Punk’s performance with Pharrell, Nile Rodgers, and Stevie Wonder at the Grammys. It’s EDM that doesn’t alienate any one demographic; it’s for the masses. Not to mention there’s a collaboration for everyone on RAM. Names like Paul Williams, Nile Rodgers, Julian Casablancas, Giorgio Moroder, and Pharrell Williams all make their appearance somewhere on the album. This was such a big part of the making of RAM that there’s a video series of interviews with the collaborators who worked with Daft Punk on the album.  This album is so much more than just a collection of a songs, which I cannot stress how important I believe that to me in the world of music. One great example of this fact on the album itself is Giorgio by Moroder. With a monologue by Giorgio himself on his life with music on top of some classic Daft Punk grooves. I have to say, I’m a sucker for background stories of artists.

The lead single off of Random Access Memories was ‘Get Lucky’ featuring Pharrell, and boy did this song explode. This song is the grooviest thing to be released in the last 5 years, easily. The whole album is but this was a perfect way to bring the groove to the entire world.  Infectious doesn’t even begin to cover it. Adding on top of this, my favorite track off the album ‘Lose Yourself To Dance’ could be the dance anthem of a generation. Once again featuring Pharrell on vocals ‘Lose Yourself To Dance’ is more of a slow jam than ‘Get Lucky’ it still gets you up on your feet and tearing up the dance floor.

That’s really the entire album though. From the slower songs like ‘Within’  to the ending track ‘Contact’ featuring DJ Falcon there’s a dance move for every song off of Random Access Memories. No matter what though, you’ll be up all night doin’ it right to the best album of 2013.