:: Daft Punk - Human After All

Daft Punk

This has been a long-awaited release. 2001’s massive seller ‘Discovery’ was the Parisian duo’s last LP and much has changed in the last three years. What hasn’t changed is Daft Punk’s leanings toward exploring the notions, perhaps even the limitations, of a not-too-futuristic humanity. This album has less pop sensibility than their previous two releases. The opening title track is saturated in ironic coldness - a computerized voice states an eerily monotone ‘we are human after all’ over a New Order styled electro-rock percussion. Second track “The Prime Time of Your Life’ has an arch evil ability to avoid climax suggesting that humans may be forever disappointed. This disappointment is genuinely true when it comes to first single ‘Robot Rock,’ a track that resembles a malfunctioning robot, not one of human intelligence. Its overly repetitive rock-disco rift is interesting the first time you hear it but doesn’t sustain for the five-minute duration of the track. ‘Steam Machine’ is a highlight and the album’s darkest track. Heavy industrial beats create an image of condensation dripping off hard metal furnaces. These are interrupted by sharp intakes of what sounds like human breath, not steam machines. Then the record steps form darkness into light. ‘Make Love’ is full of airy, saccharine style Stereolab sounds that could accompany the listener on a stroll through the streets of Bordeaux or the French Provincial districts. Track six, ‘The Brainwasher,’ brings back the darkness, and listening to it whilst I was driving made me feel as though I’d stolen my own car and was partaking in a wild-goose chase on shiny wet streets with some unseen cops who were hell-bent on getting my acid stash. The heavy drumbeat has a crescendo-building, bass-laden overdub that splays joyously upward and downward until it boils over the edges altogether and capitulates. Unfortunately it is after this track that the album itself capitulates. The remaining three tracks on ‘Human After All’ are overly simplistic in what seems to be an unintentional way. ‘Technologic’ has some gimmicky value with it’s spoken dialogue about the throw-away attitude to outdated technology, and if closing track ‘Emotion’ is intended to reflect the deeper feelings of its creators then they need to get some help for their nihilistic tendencies. ‘Human After All’ is a curious album that has several artistic points to make, and makes some beautiful electro music along the way. However, as an album, one feels it doesn’t entirely fulfill either its musical or artistic vision