http://www.mixmag.net/words/features/daft-punks-random-access-memories-reviewed-track-by-track

01
'Give Life Back To Music' feat Nile Rodgers and Paul Jackson Jr

A big, rockin’ intro gives way to that classic, laidback, sunsplashed 70s sound that Daft Punk have fallen in love with and which underpins ‘Random Access Memories’. Rodgers and Jackson whip up a breezy Californian vibe that makes you feel like you’re at the wheel of a convertible, speeding down an open highway beneath a vast blue sky… Seb Wheeler

A Chic-y starter with a big intro, grand mid-section and, ‘quelle surprise’, a vocoder! It’s upbeat, BBQ-ready music that affirms the message “Let the music of your life, give life back to music”. The first fade out of many denotes this isn’t a typical DJ album and has a much more relaxed pace to it than ‘Human After All’ and the like. Nick Stevenson

02
'The Game Of Love'

'The Game Of Love' is an 80s slap in the face with a slow tempo and distinctively seductive vibe. It could be the backdrop to a sunset over the Miami strip and with sweet whisperings of ‘I just wanted to stay’ at the end of the track, you won’t want it to stop either. Jeremy Abbott

My heart sank a little when I heard another vocoded vocal pop up here. Really? Already? Are we that short of ideas? But I soon realised I am a dickhead. What else was I expecting from Daft Punk? And this happens to be the best vocoder vocal I have ever heard. The track starts with some sleazy funk, with a feel reminiscent of Bobby Womack’s ‘Across 110th Street’, but slower. Then the vocal starts: "you were breaking my heart, when you decided to walk away’. It’s elegiac, mournful, emotive, subtle and has so much detail – it really moved me. Some strange analogue synth top lines and solos help weird it out a bit before the closing "And I just wanted you to say" refrain has you reaching for the aluminium tissues. Nick DeCosemo

03
'Giorgio By Moroder' feat Giorgio Moroder

The synth legend narrates the beginning of this track, telling the tales of starting out wanting to be a musician in Germany, sleeping in his car after gigs and how he “decided on using a synthesiser because that is the sound of the future”. He then explains how he “knew we needed a click” and a click track duly starts a basic percussion line. Then a classic Moroder arpeggiated synth line kicks in and it’s goosebumps time. The chord structure and timbre of the synth line actually sounds more like Cerrone’s ‘Supernature’ but it would be churlish to brand this one in any other pigeon hole than TUNE. A highlight of the album so far, especially for more purist electronic heads. Nick DeCosemo

04
'Within' feat Chilly Gonzales

‘Within’ eases you in with a stunning piano solo from Chilly Gonzales. Although this sweeping ballad is only 3.30m in length, the song soothes you from the off. "So many things I don’t understand," is the prominent lyric and Chilly’s chords combined with star-gazing symbols make for a beautiful summer lullaby. Jeremy Abbott

One of the shortest tracks on the album (3mins 48 seconds) is also the most poignant; I could still hear this piano days after first hearing it. A deep vocoder sings about not understanding the world, being lost and not even remembering his own name. Let’s face it, we’ve all been there. Small but perfectly formed. Nick Stevenson

05
'Instant Crush' feat Julian Casablancas

This is the bit where our heroes’ memory bank belches up the grizzled remains of early noughties indie, complete with ruff, hungover guitars and New York protagonist Julian Casablancas. He’s on good form but Daft Punk seem to be keen to create a wimpy soundtrack for a Converse TV advert. Weak. Seb Wheeler

Rolling beats kick in from the start here and while it’s hard to understand the lyrics, it’s all part of the super retro feel. A classic 80s guitar solo rocks in to underline the point but a cascading drop provides the coolest bit. Though this does make me realise why I liked Daft Punk’s Tron soundtrack so much – because unlike this generational obsession with the 80s, it was sonically so future-facing. Phil Dudman

This sounds very AOR from the start with chuggy guitar chords and an 80s synth line. Julian Casablancas’ voice is produced in a strange way. It seems to be a mix of dry vocal, vocoder and autotune – while it’s great to hear something different, the song again seems a little dull. Maybe it’ll be a grower. It does have a quite ridiculous over the top harmonising guitar solo that could’ve been used by Thin Lizzy circa 1976. Nick DeCosemo

06
'Lose Yourself To Dance' feat Nile Rodgers and Pharrell

It’s a festival clap-along with Pharrell on vocals. Much like ‘Get Lucky’, he’s backed up by some vocoder robots, this time singing "Come on, come on". It’s a verse, chorus, verse set up with wicky-wah guitars and a catchy message about, you guessed it, losing yourself to dance. Nick Stevenson

We are back on more familiar Daft Punk territory here. Heavy beats that sound a bit like the intro to Dizzee’s breakthrough ‘Fix Up Look Sharp’ (where he sampled 80s rocker Billy Squier) start this stomper – only with more claps thrown in for good measure. Pharrell’s trademark falsetto implores us to “Lose yourself to dance” as Nile does the business on the axe. A rising vocoder line sings “Come on, come on, come on” in counterpoint to Pharell’s chorus and this the closest we’ve had to a “Harder, faster, stronger” moment so far. Destined to be a festival fave. Nick DeCosemo

07
'Touch' feat Paul Williams

This is a surreal trip that channels the cartoon theatrics of Fantasia, the sound of a swing band on a Caribbean cruise ship, gospel choirs, pastoral psychedelia and a Beatles-esque chorus that goes “If love is the answer, hold on”. An incredible arrangement, like scanning radio airwaves while flying on acid. Seb Wheeler

Strap in. ‘Touch’ is Daft Punk’s ‘Bohemiam Rhapsody’ or ‘Dark Side Of The Moon’; an OTT number with five acts that goes from the reaches of space through horn sections, Shaft-like guitars and sci-fi sound effects. The intro alone is 1min 45seconds. There’s laser sounds, nice strings and even a bloody child choir. A vast track that sounds like a Broadway production condensed. Nick Stevenson

08
'Get Lucky' feat Nile Rodgers and Pharrell

You’ve all heard this and you all know that this is the song of summer 2013. “We’re up all night to get lucky” will be sung at festivals, raves and afterparties the world over, the epitome of 21st century pop and an anthem that will bring a new generation of party people together. Seb Wheeler

09
'Beyond' feat Paul Williams

‘Beyond’ sounds a lot like Nate Dogg and Warren G’s ‘Regulate’, which is no bad thing. The intro sounds like a Disney film is starting, with a slice of Bond dramatics in its strings. The lyrics are about the existential world beyond oceans and mountains – a land beyond love. No mention of an East-side motel. Nick Stevenson

A grand anthemic opening provides a huge sound before dropping into a Balearic disco chiller. The vocoder that’s graced the whole album appears again but this time against cascading synths that scream funk. Forget what you think future disco is, this is it. Jeremy Abbott

10
'Motherboard'

All scatter-funk and percussion-laced with soft keys, a huge 70s string cascade drops this track into a world of intricate drumming and acoustic guitar, built on a muted 4/4 bassline that rolls beautifully underneath. This is a departure. More Tron-esque, but with the drummer from Paul Simon’s ’50 Ways To Leave Your Lover’ letting loose. Then comes a sudden spookiness, as wet splats fly everywhere and a thunderstorm opens up. It’s raining in Bladerunner town! Four minutes in and the robot arpeggiations are back turning this all super-sci-fi before a whopping break returns. Interestingly, the drummer feels like the soloist here, but this is a track I can’t wait to hear again. Especially in the rain. Phil Dudman

11
'Fragments Of Time' feat Todd Edwards

Todd Edwards is best known for the cut-up editing you’ll know from numerous garage classics and Daft Punk’s ‘Face To Face’. But on this track there isn’t any of his remix wizardry, it’s just him singing over cowboy-like guitars. His vocals are about the time he’s spent with Daft Punk creating the track itself. He perhaps gives away too much by singing “our only plan is to improvise”, which might explain why this track falls flat compared to the rest of the album. Sorry Todd; this might have worked better if you made it into "gments-Of-me-Ti-Frag-ts-ts" in your edit suite. Nick Stevenson

Those expecting a ‘Face To Face’-style banger will be very disappointed. Those with a more open mind will also be disappointed. There’s none of Todd’s trademark production style here, just a drab country-pop song in which his vocal part sounds incredible bland. 100 per cent let down. Seb Wheeler

12
'Doin’ It Right' feat Panda Bear

Panda Bear brings the most modern touch to the party, putting together a low-slung house jam built from a tremendous 808 rhythm that flits between full and half time. Stark, ice cold and pretty damn heavy, ‘Doin’ It Right’ is laced with more hedonistic poetry as a soaring vocal sings “If you lose your mind tonight, then you know the magic’s right”. Probably my favourite tune on here after the epicness that is ‘Touch’. Seb Wheeler

A clear stand-out track and with a half-time opening, it’s almost dubby. The android rumbling of "Everyone will be dancing" forewarns the listener and drives the track while Panda Bear provides some giant vocals. Light and airy synths are introduced halfway through to make this a fantastic, understated ballad. Nick Stevenson

13
'Contact' feat DJ Falcon

Another track like ‘Touch’ that is epic and possibly built for a headphone experience or an IMAX short film. It’s intro starts with an astronaut describing something out in space: “It’s definitely not a particle nearby, its rotating way out in the distance – there’s something out there.” Big, dare I say Justice-y, organs parp out and a tone reminiscent of Kavinsky’s work surrounds big drum solos, ‘Aerodynamic’-like electric guitars and a huge build that feels like your face is entering light speed. It’s very exciting and a fitting ending to an exhilarating album you’ll keep going back to. Nick Stevenson

Album closer ‘Contact’ is one hell of an ending to one hell of a journey. A crackled voice begins the track, it could be Neil Armstrong or someone reporting back to planet earth. That would make sense as the remainder of the song takes you through meandering synths, hectic drum fills and crashing cymbals. At times it’s rocky, at times it sounds like Tron but at 4.50m it’s a raucous comedown. Dark and gritty synths build up like Apollo 11 until a mish-mash of feedback ends the album. Jeremy Abbott