Editor’s Note: This being an editorial, it serves to represent one writer’s opinion. This has not been written to impose his thoughts or judgment upon you, but rather initiate a polite and intellectually stimulating conversation. The author realizes that not everyone will agree with this piece, the majority in fact, but that should not stop one person from voicing their thoughts. We hope you agree with us when we state that it is important to respect another individual’s possible critiques and that you are open to differentiating opinions. Enjoy the read and feel free to voice your thoughts in the comment section below.
Random Access Memories had a lot of promise. Daft Punk acted like the album was going to progress electronic dance music but they simply didn’t do it right. They talked about RAM as if it was going to progress electronic music as a whole but, in fact, electronic music is going to move on without them. There are new, young musical geniuses that are taking EDM to a different level, one that Daft Punk did not come close to achieving with RAM.
Look at all the promising young talents that are pushing electronic music beyond people’s wildest expectations. Musical geniuses like Madeon and Porter Robinson are actually progressing EDM with sounds people haven’t heard before. They are the new industry leaders, the new “Daft Punks”.
Look, I am not saying that Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo are not brilliant musicians. I am just saying that Random Access Memories is irrelevant in the present electronic music world. Instead of creating an album to push electronic music forward, they just produced something that is a nice little “blast from the past”. It is a relatively enjoyable listen but will soon be left behind by the rapidly developing electronic music world.
The tracks on RAM are mediocre at best and lack the excitement and punch that we have come to expect from the iconic French duo. If the name “Daft Punk” wasn’t on Random Access Memories the album likely wouldn’t have even been looked at. Like I said, it is a nice listen, but overall Random Access Memories is a real disappointment.
It is not that I don’t appreciate Daft Punk’s musical brilliance as I will be one of the first people to agree that at one point in time they were arguably the greatest electronic producers. However times have changed, this is the age of electronic dance music and we should be accepting that, not scrambling to grab the scraps of the disco age and throw them into a mediocre album. This is the golden age of electronic dance music, the age of the bedroom producer, the age of 18 year old superstar DJs, people need to realize and embrace that because it won’t last forever. Lets not move back, lets move forward.
True story. Sad to to hear someone say it…but you’re most definitely correct. Good call on artists like Porter/Madeon helping lead the way into something new.
tottally agree
Bravo that man, well said.
In my opinion, if young producers don’t get inspired by RAM then it’s to late for EDM, because that album contains pure esscense of the basics in electronic music. Most of the songs make you feel like you are in another place. And yes, fortunately RAM is not “more of the same” that these past years we have heard.
ok fanboy.
well then sorry because almost universally everyone thought RAM flopped, they had so much time, and 2/3rds of teh tracks sound the same – nothign remarkable. the “disco” feel fails because it is too subdued. you probably dont listen to much edm when you say ” Most of the songs make you feel like you are in another place” because plenty of tracks and other produces do that – theres plenty of inspiration out there, RAM isnt it.
I completely agree. Daft Punk does not follow EDM; EDM follows Daft Punk. I found this album to be actually pretty awesome. The fact that the whole thing did not revolve around what is hugely popular in the genre is pretty much characteristic of Daft Punk.
Totally true! They are simply over-rated & they’ve got a majority of brainwashed fans who think that they are simply the best. Hypocrites!
Everyone has their own definition of mediocrity like with todays EDM. Such an ignorant article, “If the name “Daft Punk” wasn’t on Random Access Memories the album likely wouldn’t have even been looked at. Like I said, it is a nice listen, but overall Random Access Memories is a real disappointment.” That’s exactly what todays EDM is. If this track wasn’t produced by DJ ___ it would be ignored. I don’t know what this article criticizes if that’s the problem with todays EDM.
Oh in addition ” Lets not move back, lets move forward.” EDM is moving back by being influenced by the pop culture. EDM hasn’t moved forward in years. Popularity doesn’t mean it has to be good EDM has remained stagnant.
So, Daft Punk should have made an album that everyone expected? I think RAM is a brilliant record. Sure, it was a bit of a surprise when I heard it for the first time, but that is what electronic music needs these days. If you can even call RAM an edm album… There is so much crappy dance music out there that I just think this was perfect time to create something different. 10 points for Daft Punk for not doing the expected.
It’s like slapping a person in denial. They won’t like it, but it’s what they need.
Totally agreee!!!
This is completely wrong. I love EDM, don’t get me wrong. But for the most part producers today only make songs that every other producer is making (for example, since Nari & Milani’s ‘Atom’ came out, everyone is recreating that sound). Daft Punk said EDM all kind of sounds the same and they were right. At least they’re not creating sounds that everyone else is making. I doubt if they were trying to move EDM forward, since they themselves said that they don’t even listen to it (I believe it was this site that posted an article about it that subject). You’re just looking for something to talk about. I’m not surprised though, I rarely hear anything positive on this site.
I think Daft punk helped out EDM in my opinion. It’s great listening to something different. I just want to see all you folks make an album.
reallly???? you just sais “EDM hasnt move forward in years.” Electronic Music has absolutely EXPLODED. for example, there now THREE electronic daisy carnivals in america instead of one
reallly???? you just sais “EDM hasnt move forward in years.” Electronic Music has absolutely EXPLODED. for example, there now THREE electronic daisy carnivals in america instead of one
You should re read my comment. Not because carnivals are full packed does it mean this EDM generation is the best. EDM exploded in popularity not in quality.
You should re read my comment. Not because carnivals are full packed does it mean this EDM generation is the best. EDM exploded in popularity not in quality.
That mean’s more dumb-asses are paying way too much to see shit they already have over and over again. If they really want EDM to change, their has to be a new wave of artists let in. right now EDM is going through that change, and it takes awhile to sift through all the bull shit before discovering the new wave.
That mean’s more dumb-asses are paying way too much to see shit they already have over and over again. If they really want EDM to change, their has to be a new wave of artists let in. right now EDM is going through that change, and it takes awhile to sift through all the bull shit before discovering the new wave.
This article was a huge disappointment and isn’t helping dance music.
This article was a huge disappointment and isn’t helping dance music.
honestly, your opinion doesn’t matter. if anything this is just a copy of the rehashed diplo review but said differently. I really enjoy this blog when it presents current facts in the edm world, but this is not a website for editorials on how daft punk isn’t helping the future of dance music, or how some random student blogger isn’t happy that the album was not what he was expecting. If you don’t like it that’s fine, but don’t shove your opinion down our throats. oh and PS, I really hope that when they come out with their remix album, YOUR EDM writes up some rave reviews for it, praising them as what the EDM world needs..completely contradicting this post.
honestly, your opinion doesn’t matter. if anything this is just a copy of the rehashed diplo review but said differently. I really enjoy this blog when it presents current facts in the edm world, but this is not a website for editorials on how daft punk isn’t helping the future of dance music, or how some random student blogger isn’t happy that the album was not what he was expecting. If you don’t like it that’s fine, but don’t shove your opinion down our throats. oh and PS, I really hope that when they come out with their remix album, YOUR EDM writes up some rave reviews for it, praising them as what the EDM world needs..completely contradicting this post.
Get em’ Brent!
Get em’ Brent!
“The golden age of electronic dance music” I think you have it backwards, the music world/online world is completely flooded with half assed EDM because everybody thinks its okay produce a song on a pirated program and upload it to youtube, and then call themselves a musician. And every top 40 celebrity is trying to get their piece of EDM cause its the current trend. You need an album like RAM to help these “bedroom producers” remember and pay respect to the origins of the music they are all going gaga over.
“The golden age of electronic dance music” I think you have it backwards, the music world/online world is completely flooded with half assed EDM because everybody thinks its okay produce a song on a pirated program and upload it to youtube, and then call themselves a musician. And every top 40 celebrity is trying to get their piece of EDM cause its the current trend. You need an album like RAM to help these “bedroom producers” remember and pay respect to the origins of the music they are all going gaga over.
Nick Bonneson I totally agree man. This album made me put down all of the bangers with huge drops for a while. RAM kinda made me slow down a bit.
Well said buddy. I for one, am sick and tired of all these bedroom producers.
I agree with the notion that RAM won’t push electronic DANCE music forward. However, I disagree on it being a disappointment… I’m not sure what you listened to but when I listened to it for the first time, and then another following immediately after that, the album tells a story. More music needs to have essence to it. Producers these days are churning tracks out left and right, but they lack the PASSION and SOUL that needs to desperately come back in the EDM scene. I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of hearing homogenized tracks filled with chord progressions that only please the ear and not the mind/heart. I agree however with your notion that producers like Porter & Madeon are leading a new generation of bedroom producers. HOWEVER, if you think Porters’ bedroom productions even come CLOSE to Language, than I think you’ve fallen into the deadly abyss of similar sounding EDM sounds. If you’ve been following Porter closely, hell even Madeon, than you’d know these young producers are going above & beyond what they ever could have done in their bedroom chair with 100$ speakers. Porter’s been traveling the globe just to gain INFLUENCES and more for his tracks, and not only that, his album along with Mat Zo’s will be genre destroying masterpieces.
TL;DR: People need to bring essence and meaning back into music.
Obviously I’d disagree. It’s not going to change the whole world, but it is already encouraging so many producers to go back to their roots and not stick the top 100 beatport chart shit. I’m sure this album will help to shape a new young generation of producers who this album actually inspires. People say it’s not dance, they’re fucking wrong. I’ve managed to get my groove on to all of them, you have to listen from start to finish, you can’t just skip bits and complain that you can’t find the drop.
You’re welcome to disagree.
your right it is a nice lil blast from the past but daft also came out the other day and said they were going to make a remixed album of RAM starting with get lucky coming out in June, I’m sure theyve caught on tht their new album wasnt wat everyone expected, so I think theyre going to turn it all around wit this new one, u think?
I feel like this article was written by a 5th grader.
This album is a disruptor: it makes you question EDM rather than producing the thought “Hey, yeah, this is EDM.” They’ve tried something new and have combined a lot of musical elements that hadn’t been combined well in the past. I think it’s a great album to listen to in full.
“… But don’t shove your opinion down our throats.” You realize you don’t have to read the site right?
Maybe RAM didn’t help progress EDM, but what I saw in RAM was a progression within Daft Punk itself. The album held onto a concept, a sound and executed it well in my opinion. I don’t think we can judge the quality of an album on how it progresses its genre as a whole.
Its funny because people like the guy who wrote this stuff Play the album expecting to listen something rather familiar to the same load of crap we listen now a days in the EDM. Stuff Like wobbles, 2 step, dubstep, electro- house based tracks and music with alot of RAW and rough filtered saws for us to rave at parties. Well no buddy, If you call this album a mediocre album, I’m afraid to tell you that it is you who really just haves a horrible music sense. People prefer to bash and talk crap about an album instead of just apreciating the damn music and shut up. This album is great, it shows people the roots of music, It haves Notable, mellow and fluid keys with depth. Quality instrumental performances on the drums, bass, guitar and synth. Its just a different side of music dude, just shut up and enjoy the music and forget for an instant the saws, the wobbles, the bass drops and the stupid empty sounds that we hear now a days. Just enjoy the music. EDM right now is repetitive, monotone, empty and boring.
Music apreciation is just fucked up I swear.
This editorial would make a lot of sense if you are going off of the premise that Daft Punk wanted to progress EDM. Until about a year ago, Daft Punk didn’t even know what EDM was, let alone set out to make an album to take it to new heights. They wanted to revolutionize dance music in general, not Electronic Dance Music. It would be impossible to take EDM to new heights with your typical four on the floor banger. The same general variation of the typical EDM song has been around so long that you rarely hear anything that sounds like it would be worth listening to in five years. I am not saying that RAM is a godsend for dance music, but it would simply be incorrect to put Madeon and Porter Robinson in the same sentence as Daft Punk. Madeon and Porter Robinson may be the best out there right now within EDM, but they will eventually hit the brick wall that is present because of the constriction of “bedroom producing” with computers and working strictly within the typical four on the floor club jam model. I honestly think that in ten years people will come back to RAM and realize that it opened up doors for new producers to jump out of the EDM mold of making music that has become so popular. There is a reason that there is a certain timelessness to songs like “Around the World” that no producer has achieved in the last 15 years…
We just don’t give a fuck about your opinion 🙂
and u read my mind!
Victor, how can you claim to be the judge of “quality” of EDM? Music is a totally subjective experience. Just because certain genres of EDM are turning into pop genres doesn’t mean that they’re bad, and it doesn’t mean that there aren’t plenty of other cool and innovative genres still emerging within EDM. Let all the people who love swedish dance anthems like those, and the rest of us can keep looking for cool new artists. Finding new artists isn’t hard at all now that these bedroom producers, that everyone is hating on, have the power to make whatever music they like.
you tell them joey
PREACH.
Seriously BRO? all DAFT PUNK wanted to do as inspire some young talents to learn some elements of real dance music.. they could have easily produced records like they did earlier but instead they chose to do something different, something to inspire young producers to be more creative and flexible… they just want dance music to get some soul that’s all…. P.S I don’t think the writer of this article is actually a Daft Punk fan… real fans know what they are actually trying to do.
Seriously BRO? all DAFT PUNK wanted to do as inspire some young talents to learn some elements of real dance music.. they could have easily produced records like they did earlier but instead they chose to do something different, something to inspire young producers to be more creative and flexible… they just want dance music to get some soul that’s all…. P.S I don’t think the writer of this article is actually a Daft Punk fan… real fans know what they are actually trying to do.
This article stinks. It makes false claims and wide sweeping generalizations that are off the mark for sure.
I respect the opinion of those that don’t like RAM. Those people probably are not too into music made with analog instruments currently. That’s cool, just don’t say it stinks, or that “they didn’t do it right.” WTF does that mean? It’s art you FOOL! It’s like saying that painting over there is incorrect.
Lastly we all no there will be a remix album. That shit will be AMAZING and everyone trashing DP right now will be bumping that shit looking like some hypocritical d-bags.
1. Stupid post for a dance news website
2. Seems like you posted this to get attention to the website
And 3. Go read the 4 page long review of RAM on inthemix.com.au and learn something
“okay class, today we are writing an ‘opinion’ paper”
exactly. this alum shows that people who make dance music are not limited to making just that. its ok to make other types of music and to go against the grain.
What “punch?” They’ve always had this sort of sound to them they just haven’t blown it in your face like the “musical geniuses” of today. Personally I loved RAM because it was different than what’s expected of ravers and “bros.” If what you’re saying is that just because Daft Punk’s name was slapped onto the album that it sold then good! This means Daft Punk probably knows how big their name is now and whatever they do people will grovel all over it and feel that that is the way to go for electronic music. So your argument is kind of invalid…
told like a passionate fan, amen!
Great album bought it night it came out had too, kept me up a lil late but was well worth it
preach brother
Non mais c’est vrai qu’il est plutôt pourri c’t’album…
This is why blogs need to start paying writers. It isn’t fair to dance music to publish half thought, unsupported editorials. This conversation is too important.
Only true Daft Punk fans know whassup
I don’t know much about EDM, but I am Kevin Barlow, and I approve this message
Wow… Just wow. Jacob you…are thee worst writer on youredm. You should be fired from this site. Seriously shittiest writer ever. Can you make this music? This music is still fun and inspirational. If you thought this was a leak you are a fucking dumb.ass….seriously dumb as Hell. This was all strategic . Fuck your dumbass self. Shit head. You ruin youredm! I know the owner and you almost fucked it up they said they would do storing different and they did. They accomplished their 70’s sound
This comment is irrelevant and is helping no one.
I feel like this comment was written by a 5th grader because you seem to not have read the disclaimer.
Why all the hate on “Bedroom” Producers? All producers start somewhere. It takes years to harness music its not instant. Everyones favorites…All of them came from the “Bedroom”. Including Daft Punk, Deadmau5, Skrillex… All of them. No one buys 50K+ in software and equipment and is the next instant EDM god. It’s years of work and even then, even if you are talented odd’s are you will never be discovered. If you respect the origins of EDM and the “Underground Culture” have some fucking respect about where it really came from. The Bedroom. Bitch fucking retards. As to the ass hole that wrote this piece of shit the editors need to fire him. Daft Punk will be around in 5 years, 10 years most all the others that people think are awesome right now will not even be around. It’s not easy to stay relevant in EDM because of fuck heads like the guy that wrote the story. Zero respect for the art.
http://www.youtube.com/alienx23
Jay you started in the bedroom yourself. Kettle black much? Wait I never even heard of you so I guess you have not even left the bedroom yet…
To Nick Muirhead:
So how do you think new artists will rise if they don’t start in their bedroom? Make a huge investment on equipment, gear, software and such and hope for the best?
Your argument ain’t valid.
i like turtles
I really wonder how old is the person who wrote this article. I think that RAM is a great album that takes you back to the roots of EDM. To be honest I am completely sick of listening new track after new track that sounds the same and breaks down at the 1 min mark. What happened to being able to mix tracks for 2 or 3 min? Its like all the new producers assume that its ok to mix two tracks for 1 min and that’s it. As a DJ you need to mix two or three or four songs to create new sounds.
What’s the point in only mixing for 30 seconds or a minute to go into a this want to be epic breakdown that takes out the NRG in the room?
I completely agree with this, RAM is nowhere near the current EDM, BUT…
Who said RAM was meant to progress EDM? A source would be helpful? (Not in a bad way, just trying to get it straight).
Sorry they don’t like making tracks that sound like any other EDM Track it’s called takin risks man
Lets just start with, the album is not even EDM nor dance music because the album is not danceable.
This album didn’t make anyone question anything – At first… maybe. But when it came out… No. The songs on it weren’t even close to as great as One More Time, Around the World, Hard Better Faster Stronger, Love Digital and more. I’m not even comparing Daft Punk to EDM or to anyone else… I’m comparing Daft Punk to Daft Punk. Their new album is terrible. Their old tracks however, made in today’s time, would have definitely had a impact on the music industry!
DAFT PUNK is in Different LEVEL! Cmon guys! why u compare with Bedroom Producers! its non-sense! =D If you don’t know your past, your future is nothing!
I said it back when it was released and It’s still my opinion: Daft Punk had a golden opportunity to either build on their previous sound, or to reinvent themselves and bring something new, trendsetting and exciting to the scene. Instead they went with this oldschool disco sound, collaborating with old artists which for some are considered legends, and for others are considered fossils. They didn’t bring anything new to either the disco, dance or electronic scene. Instead the came up with something that belongs in the bygone. “Get Lucky” might survive the remainder of the year, but none of the tunes from this album will ever be considered legendary like “One more time” or “Harder, better, faster, stronger”. I’ve been listening to “EDM” for 15 years, but this album is way outside what I would call dance music today, be it electronic or not. If I wanted to listen to disco, I would’ve rather dug up some old “best of” CDs.
I also read through a lot of the comments below, and it disturbs me to see that people actually think electronic music has come to a halt where it no longer progresses and that all tunes sound the same. Yes, if you look at Beatport top 100, that’s a fact as it’s all pretty much the same shit you’ve been hearing at festivals for the past three years. But, if you dig just a little bit deeper and actually do some research there’s A LOT of great artists and great productions released every single day. You need to seriously check your sources if four on the floor chart-topping bangers is all you can find!
Anyone who uses the term “EDM” is a wanker in my book.
I think Get Lucky is on my top 3 list of songs I HATE hearing.