Daft Punk - Human After All

If 1997's Homework was the sound of a fresh band combating naivety through pushing boundaries, and 2001's Discovery was an exploration into the spirit of eternal youth, then Daft Punk's next release was surely destined to be of epic proportions.
The four year gap following Discovery saw the band not only develop their sound, but also grow as artists. The success of Discovery had turned Daft Punk into global dance giants, so naturally, expectations would be high upon the next offering. At this point, the sensible decision for any band would be to release material similar to that which made them popular. With this in mind, many band's have often branched out and purposely become more independent, in an effort to snub the mainstream, and have often failed creatively and musically. Daft Punk somehow managed to defy the accessible and popular charm of Discovery, and come through unscathed.
2005's Human After All marks the point where Daft Punk truly evolved in terms of musicality, personality, influence and presence.
Where their earlier works were laden with samples and comfortable hooks, Daft Punk's new stance on Human After All is one of bleak intensity, where bare optimism has been replaced with dark and harrowing themes. This is most notable in the eerie 'Steam Machine', the jagged 'The Brainwasher' and the aptly titled and beautifully crafted closing track 'Emotion'. The album also feels larger, despite it's limited 10 tracks, as the tracks tend to flow at a heavier pace. For example, even the more anthemic and dance floor friendly moments, such as 'Television Rules The Nation', 'Robot Rock' and 'Technologic' all seem endless. However, this merely enforces the album's character, and also the maturity that Daft Punk have reached as they project their themes through their brand of electronica.
These qualities become most prominent in the very title of the album, and opener, 'Human After All', which crystallises the theme of the piece perfectly. Daft Punk are asserting that underneath the digital wizardry, and electronic masking, there is, and always will be, a human spirit fighting to get out. With a myriad of concepts, imagery and colour, Human After All suddenly becomes less like standard dance music, and more like pure poetry.
Die hard Daft Punk fans will embrace Human After All, not just for it's honest and skillful approach to house fuelled dance music, but also because it sees the band at their most vulnerable and delicate; a unique offering to any fan.
Having had no new material since 2005, Daft Punk's legacy has remained secure and respected. And with the movie soundtrack to the up-coming release of Disney's Tron Legacy in December, it will be fascinating to see exactly where the band travel to from here, whether it be introspectively, or expressively.