It's the Supersound

Date Released: May 17, 2013
Album Genre: Electronic Rock, House, Groove
Album Rating: 9/10

I finally pushed myself to write a review of this Daft Punk album. Let’s start off with the steps I had to go through to get here. I’ll be honest, the first listen through this album I thought it was mediocre but decent, no hard feelings. I think I just had way too many expectations for the new Daft Punk album, but then I asked myself “what possible expectations could you have with THE constantly evolving Daft Punk who had eight years to refine themselves? One More Time?” I couldn’t give an answer and with that I let go of all of that. I know, I’m sure every artist wants you to go through this whenever they release a new album like MGMT’s Congratulations or Justice’s Audio, Video, Disco, but leave it to Daft Punk to really get you to do it. Moving past the growing pains, the more I listened to this album, the more I fell in love with it.

I don’t know if it was simply the direction they were taking or recent advances in technology have allowed them to do this, but this entire album sounds way more natural. If you listen to any of their earlier albums, there’s a very robotic electronic sound to all the tracks, not surprisingly they’re personal are robots. From the beats to the actual melodies, their older tracks were very mechanical in essence. Many of the tracks in this album sound like real instruments were used, which surprisingly gave it a very different sound. I mean, they always had the groove-sound attached to the electronic music, but it was especially so in this album.

Let’s talk about the tracks.
Act 1 – Let’s Fall in Love
What an introduction to the album with Give Life Back to Music, they really get into it quickly. No tricks, this is what you should expect. It’s got bits of Daft Punk, but also a more groove influence that we never heard before in their earlier albums, at least not like this. To be honest, the next track The Game of Love was slightly misplaced. I love the track, but I felt like it would’ve been better placed elsewhere. Maybe they were serenading you with love for the next track Giorgio by Moroder, when I knew things were picking up. Opening monologue and then “…My name is Giovanni Giorgio, but everybody calls me Giorgio.” track start BANG! This may be one of my favorite tracks of the album. Things get slower again with Within. It may be just me, but I’m rarely a big fan of ballades, although I found myself really listening to this track and not simply skipping it. A good sign in its own. I really love it when the vocals pick up half way through the track, and I can’t get enough of the transition to the next track Instant Crush. God damn, I’m in love.

Act 2 – Let’s Party Hard feat. Pharrell
At this point I’m really liking the movement of the album. Lose Yourself To Dance is another favorite. Surprisingly not even upbeat, but something about it has me wanting to get up… and dance. I’ll admit, Touch is weird although I thought it was well placed between Lose Yourself To Dance and Get Lucky. Feeling almost like a slow motion scene, this is typically the part of the movie where the characters are on some serious drugs. The track was highly dynamic and unexpected. Get Lucky, the only single from this album, was definitely one of the gems of the album with all its groove and rock. I’ve probably listened to this track a hundred times without getting tired of it. I’m pretty sure I put it on repeat for a couple hours when the single was released.

Act 3 – Let’s Drive Away into the Night
The next two pure Daft Punk tracks Beyond and Motherboard really captured me with an almost primal David Bowie essence. What great tracks, I can’t get enough of the second half of Motherboard. Back to groove, Fragments of Time was slightly standard sounding but a great track regardless. You hear Daft Punk come in a bit part way through at the end, I could have used more of that short lived part. Big bass from Doin’ It Right, first time in this album and its at the end! I’m guessing that’s an influence from Panada Bear. The last track Contact was slightly bittersweet because I felt almost like this was a track saying “wait, there’s more!” but there’s no more, it simply cuts off into electronic static.

Do we have to wait another seven years for the next album? Seems to be the trend. I’d like to firstly buy this on vinyl and listen it in its true form, none of this mp3 bullshit. And secondly, I’d like to do a road trip on the Pacific Coast Highway and have this on the playlist.

Daft Punk – Giorgio by Moroder

Daft Punk – Lose Yourself to Dance

So I’m seriously trying to get my take on the new Daft Punk album out, but I still feel like I need to listen to it a couple more times. My very first impression on the album was it was mediocre, but with each subsequent listen, it quickly changed to godlike. I think it needs to settle a bit before I write anything more about it.

Starting off with an amazing track once again remixed by CHVRCHES of MS MR. I love it. It could be a CHVRCHES song for all I would know, the vocalists from both groups sound somewhat similar. I’m really liking the direction CHVRCHES is taking with the music they’re making, even if this isn’t an original. Second up is the RAC remix of YACHT Second Summer. It’s a bit slower, a bit toned down, but greatness from RAC again. Lastly, I had this sitting on my desktop for almost half a year. I should post a screenshot of my super cluttered desktop, it’d make most people cringe. The Anoraak remix of Tresors Pleine Lune which I unexpected was saving up until now. Wait for a minute in, shit gets serious.

MS MR – Hurricane (CHVRCHES Remix)

YACHT – Second Summer (RAC Remix)

Tresors – Pleine Lune (Anoraak Remix)

So turns out Daft Punk is feeling awfully nice and is streaming their upcoming album out May 21 on iTunes. Who knows for how long, but listen to it as soon as possible! As I am still stuck at work, I will have to wait until I get home until I get a chance. Knowing my luck, it’ll be down by then.

Just open their artist page in iTunes, click that “View in iTunes” button and it’ll lead you to preview the album for free!

It’s out! The real thing. Daft Punk‘s newest single Get Lucky officially marks their return to the real world. Soon to be followed by their upcoming album Random Access memories due for May 20, or if you’re lucky enough to be in Australia or do shady business, May 17. I’m also pretty excited for their 7-yearly Alive tour which I hope they will be coming to Toronto. I’m hoping for a better venue than last time’s Arrow Hall in Mississauga, but I guess you have to make sacrifices when you have that many people for a single concert.

Comments on the track itself? I’m really liking it, Pharrell is a great match for Daft Punk. However, there was a bit more Pharrell than I was expecting. I think this was because I listened to the TheBeatmaniac remix “we are rough on Mexican monkeys” robotic voice clip ripped from the SNL commercials on repeat for like a week straight. This is a radio edit though, so I am hoping for a full or extended version of the track with a bit more Daft Punk essence in it. This is kind of a perfect first single for the album. Get it from iTunes.

Daft Punk – Get Lucky (TBM Remix)

I’m excited for Daft Punk’s upcoming album, but I’ve vowed to avoid posting stuff until its official released. Too much mashed up stuff from commercials. I can’t wait for the real thing, I hope it lives up to my expectations because I’ve been waiting 8 years for this. That’s typically a recipe for disaster with such anticipation for a given album, but to be honest, I don’t even know what to expect. It’s really a blank slate at the moment, but my hope is this will squelch that awful mess they call dubstep.

Moving along! This is going to be a short one today, some tracks I am excited about and finally have a chance to post. First off, CHVRCHES. They don’t even have a full length album out and they’re getting quite the hype. I have to say I actually like this track The Mother We Share a lot more than their most recent single Recover. Hopefully they have more that sounds like this track? Second in line is Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. If You Didn’t See Me. The intro of the track actually reminds me of The Unicorns which really brings me back, but it quickly segues into something more upbeat. I remember listening to too much of The Unicorns left me a bit down, upbeat equals greatness. And lastly the Generationals, it’s a bit slower but I’m loving it anyways. The weird sounds? Gets to me every time. This also reminds me of The Unicorns…

CHVRCHES – The Mother We Share

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. – If You Didn’t See Me (Then You Weren’t On The Dancefloor)

Generationals – Put a Light On

So new these songs by Young Galaxy is getting me pretty excited for their upcoming album Ultramarine coming out in just under a month on April 23. Especially New Summer with that super weird chord by I don’t even know what instrument, the keyboard? I love weird sounds like that in tracks. It’s so easy to do your generic chords and riffs in songs, even a little change is wonderful.

Side-note, I’m getting over my stigma of using outside players. Soundcloud is pretty awesome, but I won’t make a habit of it.

Finally got a chance to post! Lemaitre is awesome, we needed something like this for a while. Reminds me of a mix between Bag Raiders and Daft Punk, I can’t get enough of Continuum. I’m hoping for great things from this duo from Norway, keep this sound because Bag Raiders just wasn’t the same when they released their first album. Did anyone see the Daft Punk ad yesterday by the way? Anyways, this is feeling like it will be a good year for electro.

sebastian szwajczak

Aye, surely I would have anticipated this, but I was unexpectedly signed up to some courses. Yes, I never noticed until a week after the courses had started that I was enrolled, so I am much busier than I ever want to be. Unfortunately this means the blog will take a back seat in terms of priority, I am really hoping Sundtrak isn’t on its last lifeline here. I remember when I first started out, I saw other music blogs simply closing because the owner didn’t have the time to manage it and I thought to myself, “how could that ever happen?” At the time I was posting at least once a day. Ideally I would have an unlimited data cell plan and used that to listen to music constantly during down times. Oh well, I love this blog and I will continue to love it!

So, The Knocks remix of Tegan and Sara Closer. Fuck yes. I mean the original is already amazing, even though I had absolutely no idea that’s what Tegan and Sara sounded like. I admit I never really gave them a chance before, despite being Canadian and definitely having heard their stuff on the radio but not putting two and two together, I was expecting more Broken Social Scene style. Anyways, I will have to listen to their earlier stuff. The Knocks makes another killer remix. While I’m at it, here’s one from 2010 by Passion Pit and RAC of Alligator. This just became a Tegan and Sara post… unintended.

Tegan and Sara – Closer

Tegan and Sara – Closer (The Knocks Remix)

Tegan and Sara – Alligator (RAC Mix)

Tegan and Sara – Alligator (Passion Pit Remix)

Well, it’s the new year. Apologies for slacking on posts. You know, end of the semester, exams, busy; no I’m not that young, I’m just old and still in school. No more!

So what was your most memorable moment in 2012?
Oppa Gangnam Style? Ugh, I know, wait can you play it again? For Sundtrak? Probably the blog much needed facelift, it looks similar but functions much better. Possibly also having the amazing remixes coming from RAC, Robotaki and The Magician that set things off. I found electronic/house taking somewhat of a dip without mainstream influences, at least here, and dubstep taking dominance in a lot of places, but there were some surprising remixes from this year in the style of electronica.

My favorite track from 2012?
I think the RAC remix of Lana Del Rey still stands strong from last year. I can listen to that song non-stop, RAC just knows how to do it.

Most memorable music video?
I think The Shoes – Time To Dance video wins that with Jake Gyllenhaal killing hipsters.

Most memorable album?
I think the jury is still out on that one. Seems like a tossup between Tame Impala – Lonerism, Django Django – Self Titled, Crystal Castles – III, maybe Grimes – Visions, but the a lot of the tracks kind of weirded me out. Definitely all albums you should check out though.

New years resolutions?
Listen to more music. Post more album reviews or even post more in general. Here’s hoping I can stick to that with the busy schedule I have ahead of me!

Shut up and give me the music! Okay! First off of the year, The Magician remix of Sebastien Tellier‘s Cochon Ville. You can always trust The Magician for a great beat, solid remix of a great track. Second is the Amtrac remix of Chromatic’s Birds of Paradise, I think this one was actually from 2012 but I really liked it and didn’t have the chance to post it before the new year! And lastly, a bit softer, the Disclosure remix of Jessie Ware Running. Really liked the sound of this track.

Sebastien Tellier – Cochon Ville (The Magician Remix)

Chromatics – Birds of Paradise (Amtrac Remix)

Jessie Ware – Running (Disclosure Remix)

Well, completely random tracks from last week. I was hoping to post them way earlier but things got in the way, alas here they are! I love anything Danger related, his music is amazing and totally brings me back to French electro house. If you haven’t already, do yourself a favor and listen to his EPs. Only complaint I have about Danger is GIMME MORE TRACKS TO LISTEN TO!!! Great rendition of the track by Wolf Saga, although I can’t seem to pinpoint what other track is sampled for the remix, for some reason I want to say something M83. Second up, the Ryan Hemsworth remix of Grimes Genesis. Listen to the original track and you’ll quickly figure out how much exactly Ryan Hemsworth changed, not really even the same track, and I’m really loving the remix. Lastly, I had to include it, Shades of Funk by Kill Paris. I think the track title explains it.

Danger – 4h30 (Wolf Saga Remix)

Grimes – Genesis (Ryan Hemsworth Remix)

Kill Paris – Shades of Funk