Daft Punk on the cover of magazine "triple j"

http://www.triplej.net.au

Official: Daft Punk's 'Random' Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200 With 339,000

It's official: Daft Punk's new album "Random Access Memories" debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 339,000 copies in its first week, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

"Random Access Memories," released on May 21, gives the veteran electronic/dance duo its best sales week ever and first No. 1. The set also notches the second-largest sales week of the year overall. Only the debut of Justin Timberlake's "The 20/20 Experience" logged a larger frame so far in 2013, when it began with 968,000 in March.

The full top 10 of the new Billboard 200 will be revealed on Wednesday, May 29.

With 339,000 sold, "Random Access Memories" also starts with a more robust sales figure than expected. Industry forecasters had projected a first-week launch of around 300,000 -- with a chance at hitting 325,000 if the set performed strongly through its first week.

"Random Access Memories" is the act's fourth studio effort and second top 10 set on the Billboard 200. They had previously gone as high as No. 4 with its soundtrack to "TRON: Legacy" in January of 2011. Their highest-charting studio album had been 2001's "Discovery," which peaked at No. 44.

Daft Punk's last studio set, 2005's "Human After All," debuted and peaked at No. 98.

Notably, in one week, "Random Access Memories" has sold more than twice what the total sales are for "Human After All." The latter has sold just 125,000 to date. Comparably, Daft Punk's best selling album is "Discovery," with 796,000.

Further, "Random Access Memories" is the first dance/electronic album to hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in more than a year. The last dance/electronic No. 1 was Madonna's "MDNA" -- it debuted atop the April 14, 2012 chart.

"Random Access Memories" is led by the single "Get Lucky," featuring Pharrell Williams. The song earned Daft Punk its first top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, so far peaking at No. 10 last week. The song is also the duo's biggest airplay hit ever, as it climbed 46-29 on the Radio Songs chart last week.

http://www.billboard.com

Daft Punk appears with Lotus F1 Team at the Grand Prix of Monaco

The French duo accompanied the racers Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean as part of the Lotus team during the Grand Prix of Monaco

Daft Punk, was present at the Grand Prix of Monaco as part of the Lotus team.

During the event, the French duo accompanied the racers of Formula 1, Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean, wearing uniforms with the team name.

http://www.excelsior.com.mx

New promotional video for Lotus F1 Team with Daft Punk

http://lotusf1team.com

Lotus F1 Team launches a series of promotional videos with Daft Punk

A few hours ago has made ​​public the news, Lotus F1 Team now has a new sponsor that adds to the list of sponsors achieved by the Enstone team for this season 2013.

The company in question is the record company "Columbia Records" recognized worldwide for being the world's oldest label.

"Columbia Records" playlists provide free streaming on the web new Lotus team and personalized discs, vinyl and even musical guests and more surprises.

For now we can see the iconic logo of the record label located in the back of the Lotus E21 and some promotional videos with Daft Punk.

http://www.1kimi.com

Daft Punk on the cover of magazine "Rolling Stone"

http://www.rollingstone.com

Listen to Daft Punk’s “Horizon”, the Japanese bonus track for Random Access Memories

Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories hits stores today, and while the cat’s been out of the bag for a whole week now, there’s one more surprise to enjoy: a Japanese bonus track. Titled “Horizon”, the light meditative stroll is without a doubt the most tranquil piece of music they’ve composed to date, and comes sprinkled with Eno synths, Michel Rubini guitar work, and Tangerine Dream moods.

Daft Punk - Horizon (Japan Bonus Track)

http://consequenceofsound.net

Giorgio Moroder performed "Giorgio by Moroder" Live

Last night, disco legend Giorgio Moroder played what was billed as his first ever live DJ set, at the Williamsburg club Output as part of the Red Bull Music Academy's series of New York events. He offered a tour of his hits, including Donna Summer's "I Feel Love", "Bad Girls", "On the Radio", and "Hot Stuff", as well as his recent Daft Punk collaboration, "Giorgio by Moroder".

http://pitchfork.com

Daft Punk photo shoot for "The Guardian"

http://www.guardian.co.uk

Forty artists team up to celebrate the return of Daft Punk

A gallery brings together the work of illustrators, painters and sculptors who express their admiration for the duo for the new album, 'Random Access Memories'.

Gauntlet Gallery is proud to present “ReDiscovery”, an art show inspired by the French electronic music duo Daft Punk.  To celebrate the release of Daft Punk’s first album in eight years, Gauntlet Gallery will feature works by over 40 painters, sculptors , digital and screen print artists, each of whom has created an original work of art inspired by Daft Punk.

With their modern disco sound and blend of house, funk, electronic and techno music, Daft Punk puts on one of the world’s most popular DJ performances.  Their musical talent is matched only by the extraordinary visuals of their live performances. Daft Punk’s highly anticipated Random Access Memories is their fourth studio album and the first since the 2005 release of Human After All. 

Gauntlet Gallery’s “ReDiscovery” debuts on May 18th with an opening night reception from 7pm to 10pm. The show will be on view until June 15th, 2013. Located at 1040 Larkin Street in San Francisco, Gauntlet Gallery’s hours are 12-7pm Tuesday through Saturday, and by appointment.

Participating artists : 

Aaron Jasinski, Andre De Freitas, Andrew Turner, Andrew Spear, Bennett Slater, Brad Hill, Brandon Schaefer, Cam Floyd, Campbell Whyte, Craig Drake, Dan Almasy, Dan Howard , Dave Greco, Gene Guynn, Gina Kiel, Jaime Cervantes, Jason Ratliff, Jason Liwag, Jen Rome, Jenn Mann, Jeremy Bernstein, Johannah O'Donnell, John Larriva , Joseph Vetoe, Justin VanGenderen, Liam Brazier, Mathias Valdez, Matt Leuing, Mike Bell, Nimit Malavia, Paul Shipper, Peter Adamyan, Phil Noto, Phillip Ellering, PJ McQuade, Rich Pellegrino, Rob Loukotka, Ruben Ireland, Ruel Pascual, Sam Ho , Scott Listfield, Serge Gay Jr, Soey Milk, Tim Maclean, Vaughn Pinpin, Will Arvin.

http://gauntletgallery.com

Daft Punk on the cover of Japanese magazine "Wax Poetics"

http://www.waxpoetics.com/magazine

Daft Punk on the cover of the magazine "Global Mixmag"

http://www.mixmag.net/digital-mag

Daft Punk on the cover of Japanese magazine "FLOOR net"

http://www.floor-net.jp/

Romanthony, House Producer & 'One More Time' Singer, Reported Dead

Romanthony, an influential house producer and singer best known for performing the vocals on Daft Punk's single "One More Time," has been reported to have died earlier this month.

The artist, born Anthony Moore, reportedly passed away at his home in Austin, Tex. on May 7. As Chicago's 5 Magazine points out, Romanthony's sister Mellony Moore confirmed the passing in a Facebook post on May 9, and friend/collaborators like Boys Noize, MikeQ and Daone Remmidy (better known as Eve Angel) have all taken to social media to confirm the news and express their grief. The cause of death has not yet been confirmed.

After his production career began in New Jersey, Romanthony's high-energy "Jersey Garage" style was highlighted on singles like "Make This Love Right" and "Let Me Show You Love," released on his own Black Male Records label in the early 90s. Later, Azuli Records made him an overseas star with the 1997 release of "Romanworld," a collection of stellar Black Male productions. Two years later, Glasgow Underground released "Instinctual," a collaborative full-length with DJ Predator.

However, Romanthony was best known to U.S. audiences as the voice behind "One More Time," the lead single from Daft Punk's second studio album, 2001's "Discovery." His vocals are also featured on that album's closing track, "Too Long," and Moore is listed as a co-writer on both collaborative songs, along with Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo.

"We met him at the 1996 Winter Music Conference and became friends," de Homem-Christo said of Romanthony in a 2001 interview. "What's odd is that Romanthony and Todd Edwards [who is featured on the "Discovery" track "Face To Face"] are not big in the United States at all. Their music had a big effect on us. The sound of their productions — the compression, the sound of the kick drum and Romanthony's voice, the emotion and soul — is part of how we sound today. Because they mean something to us, it was much more important for us to work with them than with other big stars."

http://www.billboard.com

Daft Punk Interview with Lauren Laverne

http://www.youtube.com/user/DaftLegends

Daft Punk: "The Music We've Made With Kanye West Is Raw And Violent"

In a new interview with Mixmag Global, Daft Punk have revealed that they've made some "super primal and raw and super violent" music with Kanye West.

The robots and the famed rapper have been in the studio together in Paris following the release of Daft Punk's new single.

Speaking to Mixmag, Thomas Bangalter said: "When the first 15-second snippet of 'Get Lucky' came out, Kanye came to our studio in Paris and we worked on loads of different ideas together. We're not sure how many tracks we will have on [his new, forthcoming] album yet."

"The music we worked on with Kanye was super primal and raw and super violent. It was the opposite of our new album in lots of ways. It was really exciting to do something completely raw."

Here's proof that, in spite of 'Random Access Memories', Daft Punk haven't gone completely soft (rock). Their latest LP is lashed with references to indie, prog, disco, funk and soul, but apart from a collaboration with Panda Bear, there's little evidence of modern dance music. Perhaps they've delivered the hard electro goods many diehard fans were expecting to Kanye. Or maybe "super primal and raw and super violent" means a completely different twist from the robots altogether.

They also confirmed that they will release an official remix of 'Get Lucky', though there are no concrete plans for a full 'Random Access Memories' remix album.

http://www.mixmag.net

Wee Waa goes Daft

A severe housefire on the Kamilaroi highway into Wee Waa delayed the start of the much-hyped global launch of Daft Punk’s album, Random Access Memories. But one of the most ingenious - if misleading - music marketing campaigns of recent times eventually culminated in a spectacular dance music party on an under-lit circular outdoor dancefloor, apparently the biggest in Australia.

Hundreds of carloads of fans had to be diverted around Narrabri after the fire closed the highway into Wee Waa because of concerns over asbestos inside.

The album “launch” was considered misleading by many because the songs were available on the internet earlier this week. And optimism that the two Frenchmen who make up Daft Punk, Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, might make an unscheduled appearance came to nothing, although few fans complained.

The set and lighting, designed by Daft Punk offshoot ‘Daft Art’, was consistent with the standard of the house music duo’s usual live act, given the remote location. Four giant speaker towers and 16 floodlights, aimed skywards, encircled the dancefloor, above which hung a seven tonne disco ball. Lighting timed with the beats ranged from red to pink to green and white.

Susan and Loretta, both 30, from Elizabeth Bay drove eight hours to reach the tiny cotton farming town on Thursday and said the event lived up to the hype. “It’s off the hook right now, Daft Punk in the bush! Just look around!” Susan said.

Although the crowd fell short of the 4000 tickets sold, they got into the celebratory spirit on a cold night expected to drop to two degrees. Many came in classic music festival garb, wearing anything from jungle book character outfits to rabbit suits, American Indian headresses and of course Daft Punk’s trademark robot helmets.

The album was played in full, 74 minutes, followed by a DJ set including older Daft Punk tracks.

NSW Police, who initiated Operation Hadrian to deal with possible drug offences and alcohol related violence in Wee Waa, were highly visible, but quiet - at least during the album party.

They estimated the crowd at around 1500, although it looked closer to 2000.

Locals mixed happily with the mostly well-behaved visitors, some bringing children and others their parents.

Shirley Steele, 53, from the Wee Waa Pony Club wandered around the dancefloor with her mother and an elderly couple, Clive and Greta Richardson.

“The environment is a lot of fun,” said Mrs Steele. “Everyone’s having a good time and it’s probably something we’ll never see again.”

What did 80-year-old Clive make of it? “It’s alright. As long as we don’t get a bill.”

http://www.smh.com.au/