After over two decades spent behind a space-age helmet delivering equally futuristic robot rock in Daft Punk, one-half of the defunct dance duo that split in 2021, Thomas Bangalter, is showing his face. The DJ/producer/composer will make his solo debut with Mythologies, an orchestral piece he wrote for a ballet of the same name. The score is out on April 7th via Erato/Warner Classics.
Along with the album announcement, Bangalter revealed a realistic illustration of his face. Daft Punk’s unique style of anonymity dates back to the 1990s when the group wore Halloween masks or even bags over their heads during club shows and interviews.
Mythologies was originally commissioned by choreographer Angelin Prelijocaj for a ballet premiered by the Orchestre National Bordeaux Aquitaine under the direction of Romain Dumas. A press release notes, “As a substantial lyrical work, Mythologies finds the co-founder of Daft Punk reinventing his approach to composition,” with the 90-minute score showing “scant regard for conventional stylistic boundaries,” revealing “a love of Baroque music and traces of American minimalism.” The ballet examines contemporary rituals and the way founding myths have shaped our collective imagination.
Related: Nu Deco Ensemble Shares Daft Punk Tribute, ‘Humans Vs Robots’ [Watch]
The work does not draw on Bangalter’s electronic and house background, with Prelijocaj reportedly approaching Thomas back in 2019 when the producer was interested in writing a piece for a full orchestra. Since Daft Punk released what would prove its final album, 2013’s Grammy-winning and universally acclaimed Random Access Memories, Bangalter has turned his interest towards scores. His compositions appear in works from around the globe including the 2017 Latvian film Riga (Take 1) and projects by his French countrymen including Gaspar Noé’s 2018 psychological horror film Climax and the 2022 movie En Corps (which tells the story of a ballet dancer).
See below for the full tracklist and album artwork for Thomas Bangalter’s Mythologies, as well as an illustration of his elusive face.
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