French musician and former Daft Punk member Thomas Bangalter explained the reasons behind the duo’s decision to end their two-decade partnership. He shared these thoughts in an interview with the BBC.
He recalled his past stance on Daft Punk, describing the project as a journey that began with machines and gradually moved away from them. He emphasized a love for technology as a tool, yet noted that the very nature of his relationship with machines could be unsettling. The musician explained that their aim was to use these machines to convey something deeply human, something a machine cannot feel but a human can, and that their allegiance always lay with humanity rather than technology.
Bangalter noted that recent progress in artificial intelligence and neural networks raised concerns that extended beyond music production. These reflections reinforced his belief that the decision to close Daft Punk was the right one for them. He acknowledged his affection for the character they forged, yet stated that his hope is to avoid becoming a robotic image in today’s world.
Daft Punk formed in 1993 in Paris, founded by Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo. Their acclaimed debut album Homework arrived in 1997, followed by several influential works, with Random Access Memories released in 2013. In 2021, the group announced that they would be shutting down, marking the end of an era in electronic music.
Bangalter is presently preparing a solo orchestral project titled Mythologies, fashioned for a ballet with the same name. A re-release marking the tenth anniversary of Random Access Memories is anticipated in May, offering fans a renewed look at the duo’s signature fusion of electronic sound with live instrumentation.
In related news, Björk recently released a psychedelic video for the track Fossora, continuing a line of boundary-pushing visual and sonic experiments in contemporary music.