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11. Daft Punk – Random Access Memories





What is it with disco this year? Arcade Fire played with it a lot. Beyonce touches it with “Blow.” And electronic dance masters Daft Punk released damn near a whole disco album this year. Also, it rules. Most of the tracks are immediately danceable, and the ones that aren’t are growers. Daft Punk hired a who’s who of session musicians, and the album is so instrumentally tight because of it. I love the scope and storytelling of “Giorgio by Moroder” and “Touch.” I love the electro-tinged futuristic-throwback sound of “Doin It Right” and “Give Life Back to Music.” The Pharell songs speak for themselves; you’ve heard them. The album closes with “Contact,” finally bringing things around to audience expectation of what Daft Punk should sound like. I could say more, but there’s one album this year that has a similar project as Random Access Memories, only its better. I’ll say more when that album comes up on the list.