Don’t be put off by the label of a ‘collections’ LP, as fortunately, the original tunes that Daft Punk sampled can stand up on their own two feet as classics themselves.
Well, nearly all…
It’s a cross-section of Daft Punk’s long career, which stretches back to 1993, with the priorities here being on the soul and disco era. It makes for some fast-paced, boogie inducing moments that can often make you forget that this is even supposed to be an LP based around the Parisian duo.
The fairly standard Robot Rock sounds better in its original format, with the collection starting off with the rousing Release The Beast, originally crafted by Breakwater, before the riot-inducing Digital Love is taken down a notch or two by its former, softer ballad, with George Duke’s I Love You More just begging to be used in a 70’s era comedy spoof.
Cola Bottle Baby, which was spun into Harder, Better, Stronger Faster (and later spawned Kayne West’s Stronger), is a hip-thrusting funk-fest, and Cerrone’s Supernature is the perfect Knight Rider accompaniment to Punk’s Verdis Quo. The tantalisingly short Get It Up For Love, which was an inspiration behind Da Funk also provides glimpses of some classic diva-like soul with climactic harmonies.
This look into Daft Punk’s record collection (and musical minds) is a terrifically inviting one, as some of the inspiration behind their biggest tunes can often be thinly veiled beneath the complexities of the original tracks.
Eddie Johns’ I Put A Spell On You may not seem like the first choice for the hit One More Time, but a few listens and the familiar chorus placement can soon start slotting into place. The same goes for Jerry Goldsmith’s The Rec Room, which in it’s original state is nothing short of terrible, but with a bit of patience does start to show the inner workings of Around The World.
There are places on Discovered for other dance classics to be aired too, with the instantly recognisable Get Down Saturday Night that not only featured on Daft Punk’s Voyager, but also spearheaded Room 5’s 2003 hit, Make Luv making an appearance. Not content with just that, but Stardust’s Music Sounds Better With You (which was created by half of the Daft Punk team) sample is on here, in the guise of Chaka Khan’s Fate.
The inclusion of Sister Sledge’s Ill Macquillage Lady that powered Aerodynamic provides a greater slice of diva action, but provides little else, whilst Karen Young’s Hot Shot, complete with macho man chorus sounds a little too Village People for comfort.
It’s left to Little Anthony & The Imperials to provide the last great tune of the LP, with Can You Imagine being another tune that is instantly recalled in the guise of Crescendolls.
For the general observer, it’s an album mostly filled with tunes that can get the weekend going in style, whilst to the avid fan, it’s a chance to take one step closer to their musical idols. Either way, it’s funkin’ brilliant.
