Great Recordings: Daft Punk, Random Access Memories

[@DavidFromOuterSpace]

the level of obsession with sound design and recording techniques of daft punk are super inspiring. reading about the production of "Giorgio by Moroder" completely blew me away: "When Moroder arrived in the studio to record his monologue, he was initially perplexed that the booth contained multiple microphones; he wondered if the extra equipment was a precaution in case one of the microphones broke. The recording engineer explained that the microphones varied with origin dates that ranged from the 1960s to the 21st century, and that each microphone would be used to represent the different decades in Moroder's life"

[@PearlAcoustics]

Thanks for this additional information. Very interesting!

[@xcy0n]

Epic little piece of information :-)

[@paolocacciatore3211]

I think I also know the continue of this episode: Giorgio asked the recording engineer "why? no one will notice it" and he answered "oh, those two guys will"

[@GrimmToast]

@@paolocacciatore3211 Was just gonna comment this. It's one of my favorite tidbits from the behind the scenes look and speaks to Daft Punk's amazing ear and talent for music and sound.

[@YershJRSZ]

And it's that interesting, as they also do some of the pure underground, raw, kinda harsh sounding tracks, which only speaks about their genus as the musicians :D

[@tbedgood]

I discovered this album yesterday at age 68 and it's now possibly my favorite album. I very much enjoyed your video here....so it's not just me....lol. What a treat. Thank you!

[@PearlAcoustics]

You’re very welcome Tim!

[@maximemahelie]

Thanks ,

[@TalhaVocoding]

Indeed R.A.M. Is one of the greatest albums, just to get some of you guys how this was recorded, They used a Sennheiser VSM 201, not any but Herbie Hancocks original copy as well, It costs around 40.000 dollars and it has a very clean sound thats pretty much how the vocoder vocals was done, also Mick Guzauski (The Mixing Engineer of Random Access Memories) Says That "One of the ideas for this album was that Daft Punk didn’t want to process digitally. The music had to be recorded digitally because it had to be edited, but a lot of it was recorded to analog tape and then transferred to Pro Tools. For mixing, it all came from Pro Tools at 96 kHz into a 72-input analog console. Sometimes we had to combine in Pro Tools if we had more tracks than faders. But it was mostly mixed to analog and they wanted to process everything in the analog world as well. We mixed the album at Conway Studios in Los Angeles over the summer. The studio had another Pro Tools room in addition to the control room that we were using, so the guys in Daft Punk could add elements to the mixes, listen to what I’d done, edit, or make other final tweaks, and then get the changes to me right away in the control room. It was a very collaborative process. We actually worked on a song until it was done, so the schedule was nice and relaxed. Some days were long, a few were short, and when they were happy with how a song sounded, we were done. I didn’t have to do a single recall on the whole album. It was a dream project. The music and performance have to be there first. Sonically and mix-wise, I was very cognizant of not limiting a lot of things and avoiding drastic processing. I wanted to use compression sparingly so the whole thing could breathe and the dynamics could be unrestricted. This wasn’t a project where we cut the low end back and boosted the 5-7 kHz range to make it scream. We never tried to make it loud and I think it sounds better for it.The funny thing is, when it’s on the radio, even though it isn’t anywhere near as loud as many records, it does sound bigger. Radio compression makes the peak levels the same as something that’s been highly compressed and hyped. I don’t think we lost a lot of apparent level in keeping the low bottom end strong." And then he talks about plug-ins "Some plug-ins definitely did a better job than we had analog outboard gear for. We used the UAD Precision De-Esser quite a bit on vocals. Sometimes we used a hardware analog DBX 902 instead, but if we needed serious de-essing, the UAD plug-in worked better and gave us more control. That’s pretty much it, and the rest was analog outboard gear, though we did use a few digital reverbs - a Bricasti and EMT 250. I have to say that the UA plug-ins sound so close to the hardware. We happened to have the physical equipment there and the guys really wanted to use it - we had a great EMT 140 reverb and if you find a good one there’s nothing like it - but when we A/B’d the real analog gear with the UAD plug-ins, just out of curiosity, it all sounded extremely close. I use those plug-ins all the time. use the EMT 140 and EMT 250 reverb plug-ins a lot, and also the Manley Massive Passive EQ Plug-In. I have a real one of those, and the physical and digital versions are very close when it comes to sound. I also use the 1176 and LA-2A plug-ins, and I’ve played a bit with the Ocean Way Dynamic Room Modeling Plug-In on a couple of projects. That one’s brand new, so I haven’t used it extensively yet, but I really like it. It gives a nice, natural early reflection sound, especially if you use reverb on top of it, so it doesn’t sound like there’s this gap between the sound and the reverb. It just sounds like you recorded something in a room before you processed it.I use the Harrison 32C/SE Channel EQ when I’m in a nostalgic mood.The UAD plug-ins sound a lot cleaner than the original hardware did. They have the same character, but the plug-in sounds good while the console sounded kind of hash-y. Then there’s the Precision Limiter and the De-Esser, both of which I use a lot. Others I’ll use once in a while, but those are the ones I go to all the time. Were also recorded in these locations, although Daft Punk recorded most of their own vocodered robot vocals in their own studio in Paris. Following every session with live musicians and/or singers, the core team of Bangalter, de Homem-Christo, Franco, Lerner and Channing would spend time sifting through what they had recorded, and the Daft Punk duo would then build and alter and edit their tracks using these live recordings, in similar ways to how they'd used samples for their earlier albums."

[@equalequalslopezcartoons3702]

This comment gonna change my life thank you I always wondered if they still used their sampling techniques still.

[@imnomoremaverick]

If you think carefully,you can imagine a sort of aura around R.A.M. You can perceive the aura of calm,analog experiencing and many other things that led to create basically a milestone for music. Probably Daft Punk already knew in 2012-2013 that R.A.M would've been their last album (in fact,after that,they only did two collabs with The Weeknd,all of them did great),therefore they probably said "fuck it, let's make it the best we ever made and the best everyone will ever listen. Let's call some of the best guitarists, drummers, vocalists. Let's use the best equipment and also let's go back in time: more analog than digital". And they nailed it,R.A.M is really flawless

[@Alexherrera183]

Thank you for this

[@ricardochiesa9829]

Thank you so much for the info!

[@johnford902]

Love how Guzauski says that despite how they used the analog gear, that the plugins emulating the gear are very close to the real thing.

[@brectangle]

You may not realize it, but your knowledge of the musicians' catalogs and some of the instruments has uncovered some "easter eggs" about the album's composition and production that most die-hard Daft Punk fans like myself had not yet realized. We knew about the different mics in Giorgio by Moroder, the refusal to use any computers on the album (except for when editing "Touch"), and the intention behind having Nile Rodgers on rhythm. However, I think you stumbled across a new discovery in your point about Get Lucky where one drummer transitions to the next, from JR who was prominent in the mid-70s to early 80s, to Omar Hakim, whose highlight era was the mid- to late-80s. It's a pivotal moment in the album where the main transition from the "natural" 70s style to the more "mechanical" and technology-infused style of the 80s occurs, and is executed in Get Lucky when both the vocals and drum rhythm changes from human to robotic. I had not realized that it was not only a change in the drumming pattern, but a change in drummer completely, and the drummers correspond to their respective "eras" within the song/album! Also, your observation about 2-level keyboard, Bach, and the similarity in album intros was a new discovery as well! Thanks so much for making this video!

[@PearlAcoustics]

Dear Brecht, Thank you very much for your kind words. I think I am learning as much from the comments - I might have to make a ‘part 2’ one day! Best wishes. H.

[@nintendude794]

@@PearlAcoustics please do!

[@hiimkyle1894]

​@@PearlAcoustics seems like there's so many details about this album and so much intricacy that only daft punk and their crew know it all

[@dragonfire101g]

I remember putting on this album on a car ride, thinking it’ll just be a fun electronic Daft Punk project. Was immediately blown away with how good it sounded, the middle of the album gets incredibly good, all the live instrumentation, the production. It’s quickly grown to one of my favorite albums of all time, possibly #1. I would have killed to hear another Daft Punk album in this style, but I’m glad they ended on this perfect note. Incredible album, it’ll be one of the first albums I listen to once I get a Hi-Fi setup and I’ll definitely buy the FLACs

[@PearlAcoustics]

Thank you. Lovely comment.

[@makosakoda1823]

Parcels live vol 1 is practically cannon

[@viper3269]

@@makosakoda1823 thankyou for recognising this, gotta say Parcels is one of my favorite modern bands

[@bobsagget823]

sheeple

[@lookbacktime9422]

Comment from Pitchfork by Mark Richardson : "If people still went into stereo shops and bought stereos regularly, like they did during the era Daft Punk draw from, this record, with its meticulously recorded analog sound, would be an album to test out a potential system, right up there with Steely Dan’s Aja and Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon. Daft Punk make clear that one way to “give life back to music” is through the power of high fidelity." Daft Punk's Random Access Memories - one of my favorite albums. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience!

[@PearlAcoustics]

Thank you for your comment. There's no doubt for me that this album is right up there. My favourite Steely Dan album is the lesser known 'Two Against Nature' - maybe I will cover it one day! Best wishes H.

[@nintendude794]

Listened to Aja my first time not too long ago and found it a sheer joy start to finish!

[@matthoward598]

​@@PearlAcoustics So I need to give Steely Dan a listen?

[@PearlAcoustics]

@@matthoward598 you sure do! 😉 ‘Two against nature’

[@poppyrobinson9843]

It almost makes me sad they never realised another album, but RAM was so perfect I don’t think they could have done something else considering their perfectionism.

[@PearlAcoustics]

Sometimes that's the signal to quit and go on to new things. To break borders one needs to experiment and make mistakes.

[@SPAZZOID100]

Perfect??? It was solid but uneven.

[@Rokosbasil]

Lol. Drinking the audiophile Kool aid. It's a good sounding album. Good production, ok performances and solid talented engineering.

[@theLEGOguy22]

Great production but for sure not the best album, far from it.

[@crtgamer2355]

The Game Of Love is the stand out for me on this album, just sublime.

[@psyclobe]

I listened to Random Access Memories after seeing this video; this album made me feel like I was being injected with life and emotion, I felt like a dead leaf compared to the rich vibes of joy and life that this band was emitting. Thanks for the suggestion to check them out!

[@PearlAcoustics]

You’re very welcome! Thankyou for your comment, music can be so enriching. I am pleased it touched you.

[@Roshan_Amal]

What have I stumbled upon! Listening to you talk about it, the way you do, makes me fall in love with the album all over again. And it's Interesting to see So many people listening to Daft Punk for the first time. Looks like a great channel and good community.

[@PearlAcoustics]

Thank you, you're very kind. Much appreciated.

[@nintendude794]

Reminds me of Paul from PS Audio! (KZbin, check it out!)

[@trasky3685]

This is the first album I ever bought at the age of 14, and at the age of 22 I still regard it as my favourite of all time. Thank you for this video.

[@PearlAcoustics]

You're very welcome!

[@brettetherington5726]

This is the same story with me, first album i ever bought at age 13, and still my favourite!

[@ElectricalSwift]

@@brettetherington5726 ay me too, I didnt appreciate it much at the time but it grew to be my favourite album.

[@Drainion2]

Lol that’s crazy this is the first album I ever bought when I was 12!

[@GlennDavey]

Jesus Christ this is the saddest thing I've ever heard. I grew up on 90's Daft Punk. I'm sorry you were born at the worst time in human history.

[@JordnBeats]

I've never really listened to much Daft Punk, but you've completely sold me this album. I've heard a few songs from it, but never experienced it properly all the way through. I'm glad this came up in my recommended :)

[@PearlAcoustics]

Thank you Jordan, so pleased my video spoke to you. Enjoy the album!

[@kaybaumann4989]

I‘d check out the album „Discovery“ from 2001 out as well. It’s probably their most well know record and also easily one of the best House records of all time.

[@PearlAcoustics]

@@kaybaumann4989 ok thanks! Will do.

[@nintendude794]

Aww yeah, time to randomly access memories

[@Ennay_Essaytch]

The very common “you’ll hear things you’ve never heard before” adage when people discuss hi-fi gear has its merits, but I’ve had more fun seeking out new things to listen to that are outside of my normal listening habits. It’s made my hi-fi journey one that is just as much focused on discovery as examining what I already know, and I’m better for it.

[@PearlAcoustics]

Absolutely!

[@nedrider]

Thomas i know you are watching that. We appreciate you and what you have done together. Thank you for the gift.

[@pierangelobolis440]

Dear Mr. Lovegrove, it’s always a great pleasure listening to your great experience and professionalism about HiFi systems and music recordings. Thanks.

[@PearlAcoustics]

Thank you, very kind

[@maxwaver777]

One of the best songs of this Album is without contest "Touch" and i advise anyone to relisten to it several time, despite the great space opera feel to it, the theme of this song is very deep and philosophical. Been listening to this Album since its release through the years, and this song grew on me throught the years , and will surely continue to do so, amazing !

[@eddiegutierrezjr6226]

“If love is the answer you hold, hold on.” Gets me every single time

[@maxwaver777]

@@eddiegutierrezjr6226 Touch, Sweet Touch, you almost convinced me I'm real, I need something more, I need something more....Epic !

[@DH-bg1qo]

It took me decades of listening to daft punk to settle upon touch as one of my favourites. It seems fitting they announced their retirement with this song playing.

[@maxwaver777]

@@DH-bg1qo definetly need a well trained ear to access it , delicate and complex!

[@PearlAcoustics]

you're right, 'Touch' is very operatic or like a big theme tune from a world class musical.

[@matth6932]

The sound engineering parallels Thriller. This album is sonically beautiful. Thank-you Pearl Acoustics for your joy! Daft Punk will be missed. ✌

[@PearlAcoustics]

you're very welcome! At least we will always have their recordings

[@Forasteiro]

Loved your take on RAM!

[@josephvanalstyne4049]

great video. you really read my mind when it comes to music and sound. this is the greatest album recorded in the 21st. century. when i first heard of this album i was watching the grammys and saw these two guys with weird helmets accepting the award for i think the best album of the year. i thought what a joke never hearing the album. years passed and this album was on a lot of audiophile lists. i finally bought it and heard it and was stunned and shocked how good it was. the sound and music are incredible. i do not judge what i have never heard anymore. i will take the time and listen for myself. great video as always harley. keep your great work going!

[@PearlAcoustics]

Dear Joseph, thank you for your encouraging words. It helps me look beyond the very negative feedback one gets. ;-) Isn't it wonderful when one discovers something new and totally unexpected?! Enjoy.

[@tommy1065]

I bought this album today at the age of 49 -because of you- and already after listening to it once, it blew me away..! I've always loved Get Lucky, but the whole album is just fantastic on my Hi-Fi 🤩 Already 27 seconds in on the first track you know you are in for something special, because of the shift there 😄 Thank you for the reference 🙂 PS! Love your channel and your work.. You seem like a really nice man.. Thank you 🙂

[@PearlAcoustics]

Thank you. You’re very kind. So pleased to hear that you are enjoying RAM

[@deparoo]

Been listening to this album for years, this video just made me appreciate the album even more.

[@PearlAcoustics]

Thank you! Very kind.

[@marcus1970]

Mesmerising... Every bar of every track... Beginning to end...I will never tire of..... Random Access Memories. Masterful

[@EduardoRohdeEras]

This is my favorite album in all times, and I have listened to lot of music in my life. This unified mood along the entirely album and the spacecraft quality of the record make it the milestone it is. Thank you for the review!

[@PearlAcoustics]

You’re welcome!

[@dereknelson7108]

really glad this popped up for me. This absolutely is one of my all time favorite albums, so to hear analysis on the recording side of things was extremely interesting! Guess it's time to re-listen!

[@PearlAcoustics]

Dear Derek, thank you for your appreciation. I am glad you enjoyed it. Best wishes from Belgium.

[@danielmetzger3459]

My recommendation is Violator by Depeche Mode. A masterpiece of electronic music, perfectly produced and elaborated by Flood (who also did Joshua Tree by U2 f.e.)

[@PearlAcoustics]

Ok Daniel. I will check it out and add it to our Great Recordings playlist. Thanks!

[@crushingbelial]

Magnificent recommend.

[@PearlAcoustics]

@@crushingbelial thanks!

[@midom9143]

Violator by Depeche Mode and RAM by Daft punk are my two favorites album for all time, just have to go see DM live before my time come... My only regret not have seen Daft punk live...

[@frankiegreaser7493]

I listen to Metal and Rock since my early teens. Now I am 35 and started with Vinyl and this Daft Punk Album was one of my first purchases. I never really heard their music, just new them from Radio. I listened the first time to this album and knew right away that this is special. This album is pure fun and always makes me smile. Love it! Great video about this musical experience. Thanks for your passion and joy.

[@PearlAcoustics]

Thanks Frankie! 👍

[@nickreecy4229]

I've been a fan of this album from the time it was released. I still come back to it a few times a year. Really enjoyed your video.

[@PearlAcoustics]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you

[@gustavorochavillela6323]

This might actually be my favorite video on youtube. I love the album, and seeing someone that can perfectly explain everything I love about it so well is just great.

[@PearlAcoustics]

Wow, what a nice comment! Thanks for sharing it. Happy end of year!

[@the_gaming_rabbit8017]

One of the things I love about Daft Punk was their quality over quantity. There's only a small handful of songs they have that I'm not super crazy about but all in all I'd say about 95% of their music is absolutely amazing

[@christopherwright8179]

Beautifully put together film on Random Access Memories that just appeared on my KZbin. I'm so pleased that I had the time to watch it all. The passion for the recording and musicianship has made me want to play it again. I've been going though the comments and learning just how much effort and obsession went into this album. Off to listen to it again on Avid Sequel SP turntable with SME IV arm and Benz Micro Glider cartridge, Devialet 440 Expert Pro amplifier and Focal Sopra No.2 loudspeakers. It's fitting that my amplifier and loudspeakers are French.

[@PearlAcoustics]

Thank you - very kind. Enjoy!

[@amaraliem5824]

Thank you so much for this. I've grown up with Daft Punk and hearing you talk about it was magical, as a person with very little musical knowledge. It's like you're putting into words all the things I love about the album ♥️

[@PearlAcoustics]

Thank you Amara! Very nice to hear how much you appreciated it. Thanks for taking the time to reply

[@melaniezette886]

Never expected so much love for this album. Seems to have Touch lot of us, people of different generations.

[@PearlAcoustics]

Absolutely

[@bobsykes]

No wonder I like this record. I just played it, and I didn't realize the incredible musicians that played on all of the sessions.

[@mememan3799]

Heard this album for the first time this week when I bought the viynl, a genuinely incredible album and a true tragedy now considering its thier last

[@cameronwilson8561]

I was at my local Hifi shop and a young kid (maybe 12 years old) pointed to a vinyl copy of the album and said “mum can we buy this, it would sound AWESOME on vinyl”! I must say, I totally agreed with him and bought a copy myself. Great album

[@PearlAcoustics]

😀👍

[@garrettshuman2374]

So glad you discovered this album and appreciated it as much as I do. Daft Punk’s musical creativity and vision is quite rare

[@rahmatsyahpulungan]

For me, to grow up listening to daft punk each and every year is like an accomplishment. From dirtiest and rough edges of Homework to sudden elegance of Tron, its such a growth to behold. Daft punks discography is like a guideline of “taking it slow, slowly matured”. I believe Justice and Breakbot going in the same route. And you bet i will do so. Maybe in 20years from the release of RAM, they will release the b side, like radiohead or what not. But my fantasy of daftpunk cant never be quenched. Radiohead’s OK Computer is on par with Random access memories imo, considering it was released in ‘97. Interesting stuff.

[@SoulForty5Music]

From the first time I listened to it (RAM) I knew Daft Punk had created their masterpiece.. So clean sounding, with honor paid to many of musics greatest talents. I first became a fan in the late 90's with "Homework" and have followed their journey ever since in the EDM scene. They spent the first part of their careers giving the underground dance scene some of their best work, followed by giving the Pop scene some of it's best.

[@PearlAcoustics]

Thanks for the comment.

[@menger88p]

I'll keep it a short comment. Just saying It's a great album, it's not enough. It brings so many emotions and memories when listening. To me as well as many other here in comments, a wonderful peace of music which I will return for the rest of my life.

[@mattcampea2482]

This is my first time watching your videos and WOW I'm blown away!! Thank you for your wonderful take on this wonderful album and helping an amateur like myself appreciate this even more

[@PearlAcoustics]

Dear Mathew, so pleased you enjoyed it. There’ll be more to come on all kinds of music from classical to jazz

[@velchuck]

Thank you for introducing me to this album. It blew me away! This is a masterpiece. The quality is astonishing! I must buy the vinyl.

[@PearlAcoustics]

You’re very welcome. Enjoy

[@sivabala5425]

The vinyl has been truly well mastered

[@CliffCollipriest2013]

I just stumbled across your channel and thoroughly enjoyed your comments on Random Access Memories, enough to listen to the album for the first time on Tidal (MQA). I have to agree it is very well recorded and produced. The real gem (for me) was the comment below regarding Steely Dan's Two Against Nature. I have been a SD fan for decades yet somehow this album has eluded my attention. So I gave it a listen and it is a wonderful recording! It will be joining my other SD albums (Aja and Goucho) in my collection ASAP. Oh, and I am now a subscriber to your channel.

[@PearlAcoustics]

Thank you for your kind words and support. Best wishes, Harley

[@BigG507]

Listening to this video with the album in the background, makes you appreciate this video even more

[@PearlAcoustics]

Thanks Tin!

[@darrenlomax1283]

I've had this album since it first launched and assumed it was a studio/PC album until watching this. Now I've gone back to it and listening on a Cambridge Audio Edge A amp its incredible. Thanks for sharing.

[@PearlAcoustics]

You’re welcome Darren!

[@casperdowlen625]

Just discovered your channel and subscribed. Good to hear the personal observations you have. I bought this album not because of Daft Punk but because of Niel Rogers. Then seeing who else was involved it was a no brainer. In a world where the loudness wars are still with us, everyone wants to sound like each other, and artists no longer record in studio's in analog and use so much compression this album was a breath of fresh air. A piece of craft, a piece of wisdom. In my hometown there is an audio store that sells mostly medium priced to high end gear. They have one room that has the best gear they sell. Two young teenage boys, no more than 15 year's old,, came in the store with this recording on vinyl. Somehow the staff was persuaded to let them play it on the best system. All Mackintosh gear with Focal speakers, and such. The staff put it on the turntable, cranked it up, shut the doors, left them alone in there, and these kids just went wild! They were in Nirvana. I just stood outside the doors and watched them dance and go mad. I remember that sensation and vicariously enjoyed it. I am putting together a second system in a spare room. Nothing at all is completed not even the room itself. But one of the first C.D.s I put on was Random Access Memory. It put a smile on my face. It just does that.

[@PearlAcoustics]

Thanks Casper, you’re very kind

[@tobiasderuwe]

Loved this video! I grew up with Daft Punk, being a kid from the early 90's. This is my absolute favourite album of theirs. Groetjes uit België.

[@PearlAcoustics]

Glad you enjoyed it Tobias! Best wishes from Belgium too 😉

[@dnb3810]

Thanks for taking an album I already viscerally enjoyed and animating it with further dimensions through which to appreciate it.

[@PearlAcoustics]

Glad you enjoy it! Thank you.

[@przemekdoowy2630]

WOW, absolutely great video :D "Great Recordings KZbin Playlist" is going to be my favorite now! Thanks a lot for your efforts to make all those videos ;-) Warm greetings from Poland, Przemek

[@PearlAcoustics]

Thank you Prezemek!

[@jonathanwelke]

I have been listening to this album since it came out. One of my favourites of all time Motherboard is my favorite song. It's just so beautiful.

[@Nick_4i]

This has been a favorite album of mine for several years, but I left this video appreciating it even more than I did before. It really is something special and your comments were truly insightful. I'm looking forward to watching your other "great recordings" videos and maybe finding some new music. Another album I would recommend is "Helplessness Blues" by Fleet Foxes. It's a beautiful album that I've always appreciated for it's recording quality. Their self titled album is also quite well recorded, but I haven't spent quite as much time with it, and thus don't have quite as strong of an opinion on it. Edit: I should note that there is an interesting Sound on Sound article on the recording of Helplessness Blues that is worth a read for anyone interested.

[@PearlAcoustics]

Thanks Nick. Very kind. I will certainly check out 'Helplessness Blues" by Fleet Foxes'. Sounds intriguing. And the artivle too.

[@G1ngey]

The more I read and watch about this album the more I want to appreciate it and I really need to revisit it as an album to listen to.

[@haydensthoma]

I literally cried when they announced the band would be “blowing up”. These guys are such legends! Tron is my #3 favorite movie of all time because the sound track is so great. I just play RAM and Tron soundtrack in the background when I’m working … all the time. Never gets old due to the complexity and production quality.

[@nespodzany]

Great commentary and perspective! The recording quality and musicianship of Beck's Sea Change on SACD really impressed me.

[@PearlAcoustics]

Hi Josh - I must admit, I was impressed with Beck’s recordings too! Thanks for your kind words.

[@stereoguy]

Just came across this channel and left with a sensation of pure welcoming. This is by far one of my favorite records of all time and I agreed on every point that was said in this video. My recommendation for you today would be Still Life (Talking) by Pat Metheny; very interesting record and yet one of my all time favorites too. Thank you and enjoy your music.

[@PearlAcoustics]

Hi - thanks very much for your kind. I don’t know ‘Still life’ but will add it to my listening list and add it to our ‘Great Recordings’ playlist. Enjoy your music too!

[@NathanHarman]

Perfect suggestion. My neighbor.

[@highwind1991]

RAM has aged so well. Stood the test of time just by how immaculately produced it is. It sounds unbelievable. It's a close second in terms of being my favorite Daft Punk album. Discovery is my favorite album of the 21st century and one of my top five favorite albums of all time. RAM is an essential vinyl too

[@PearlAcoustics]

Thanks for your tip and feedback. It’s much appreciated

[@Goblin_Wizard]

This album is like shrooms. We all need to give it a try, and listen to its answers.

[@PearlAcoustics]

Thanks!

[@RogerBergqvist]

Sledgehammer by Peter Gabriel was another icon drummer: Manu Katche from France. A jazz drummer who plays just about anything and really good.

[@PearlAcoustics]

Agreed. An excellent drummer

[@tshingtenglim965]

This is one of my reference album for testing components. I recommend you search for the Japanese version of this CD album. There is an extra track “Horizon” which for me is the best song. That song has so much Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon influence on it yet also Daft Punk signature sound.

[@PearlAcoustics]

Thank you for the tip!

[@nintendude794]

Good catch!

[@rudkx]

Was already a big fan of Daft Punk when this album came out and it was such a breath of fresh air at the time. These days I’m working on my own music, mostly with synthesizers and drum machines, and need to go back and give it another close listen. Thanks for your fresh perspective on it!

[@PearlAcoustics]

You’re very welcome Mark! Enjoy. Good luck with your musical projects.

[@brewt1mer]

I bought this album on vinyl this week on the strength of your review..I listened to it for the very first time last night and it was amazing...

[@PearlAcoustics]

Oh that’s fabulous feedback. There was a chance you could have hated it! 🙁 so glad we’re on the same wavelength. Enjoy!

[@vegardno]

I've listened to this album SO MANY TIMES over the past 10 years, sometimes multiple times per day. Totally agree with everything you said, this is a masterpiece and it holds up so well, there isn't a single boring moment on this album.

[@PearlAcoustics]

Thanks!

[@easton3152]

Within and Touch are my absolute favorites on the album

[@PearlAcoustics]

I agree, both are magical!

[@elirane85]

R.A.M is my most listened to album of all time by a HUGE margin. I think I listen to the entire album at least once or twice per week.

[@sugarmice]

This was a really enjoyable breakdown of this album. Glad you discovered it and enjoyed it as much as we all did

[@PearlAcoustics]

You’re welcome - thank you

[@JamesMBC]

I discovered your channel through this video, and I love your insights. I'm so glad you got to listen to this masterpiece. It truly is a love letter to music.

[@PearlAcoustics]

Thank you. You’re very kind. The album was suggested to me by my friend and colleague, Ajay Verma.

[@carljacobmorelos4137]

Random Access Memories is my all time favorite album. I'll be sure to be watching and digesting this as I drink my cup of coffee. Thomas and Guy-Manuel are truly artists in the truest sense. Both musical geniuses. I really do hope they do a reunion tour.

[@lucaskarlberg790]

Great video, thanks! You may have already been made aware of this, however this summer Thomas Bangalter did an interview with the BBC discussing his musical influences. He names Jacques Loussier as one of the most important musical inspirations and memories in his childhood, and that it was his first memory of classical music. More specifically Play Bach's Prelude No 1 in C Major. Very cool that you made the connection!

[@PearlAcoustics]

Thanks for sharing!

[@mgrein93]

Thanks, this heightened my appreciation of Daft Punk tremendously. Would love to hear your opinion on the band Parcels' debut album, which Daft Punk produced a few year later. There's a fantastic live version of the entire album with video from the Hansa Studios in Berlin.

[@PearlAcoustics]

Ok Thanks! Will check that album out. Best wishes

[@lewisilsley4673]

@@PearlAcoustics seconded - would love to hear your thoughts on Parcels’ Live Vol. 1 or their new album Day/Night!

[@connormichalec]

I absolutely love this album, a great analysis and excellent breakdown. I never realized the true extend they went on this one and I really appreciate this video.

[@PearlAcoustics]

Thank you. Very kind.

[@edo_moya]

This videos are great! More album reviews, that would be nice!

[@PearlAcoustics]

Thank you - very kind! I try to do as many as I can. I am aiming for a video every 3 weeks, one a record review and one another related topic.

[@thiagopogliesi3856]

So, yt recomendation brought me here and I absolutely loved it, thanks for the great video

[@PearlAcoustics]

You’re very welcome. Glad you enjoyed it

[@roblawrence4792]

Thank you Harley, love your commentary! Please keep it up, a real joy. I only wish I could listen to your system in that room one day… I’m sure it’s a well balanced delight. Appreciate your efforts, enjoy the music :)

[@PearlAcoustics]

Thanks Rob! You are very kind. You enjoy the music too!

[@avro66]

Fantastic album, I discovered daft punk through this album, every song is a delight which is a rarety these days, top quality musicians and in hi res format sounds sublime.

[@calebdonaldson8770]

The consistent quality of Daft Punk is absolutely astonishing. Solid gold discography, like hot damn!

[@PearlAcoustics]

Happy memories!

[@crazyprayingmantis5596]

I love this album because you can tell the difference between the analogue recorded tracks and the digitally recorded tracks

[@PearlAcoustics]

Ok - didn’t know this. Do you mean some were recorded onto magnetic tape? Which are which, may I ask?

[@joeysarmiento1925]

I heard that from my second son. I think I will listen 👂 to it by January 2022. My son doesn't like it much but I will give it a shot. Merry Christmas ⛄ Harley.

[@PearlAcoustics]

you do that! Remeber, it takes several listenings to re-program our brains into enjoying different genres.

[@TheDavi12silva]

Jamais o algoritmo me forneceu um conteúdo de tão alta qualidade até agora, ótima análise de um grande álbum que eu gosto tanto.

[@PearlAcoustics]

Thank you. I am glad you enjoyed the video. Best wishes from Belgium!

[@lukao6114]

Those cool guitar chops at the beginning of Give Life Back to Music, right after the fanfare, are played by Paul Jackson Jr probably the best rhythm guitar player out there. He truly shows this, so much needed, life in music.

[@PearlAcoustics]

Thanks. Didn't know that

[@HarisKohi]

The lyrics are very potent in this album, songs like Within and Beyond are deeply spiritual.

[@byronbae8606]

One of the amazing things about this album is it sounds so good it makes any sound system sound better than it actually is. And it sounds good even on a kitchen radio.

[@tiagocruzxfLaw]

i really enjoy this video, already watched it like 5 times. i shared it with my friend and they enjoyed a lot, you are the perfect person to do this and you should do a lot more with this albuns. currents by tame impala, everything now by arcade fire and lock-in by fat freddy’s drop.

[@PearlAcoustics]

Thank you so much for your kind words. I will certainly check out your suggestions!

[@AlexBaldwinFTW]

By far my favourite of their albums and in my top 5 of all time.

[@Benvos]

Really enjoyed this, love the album and your description of it just adds more layers to its brilliance.

[@PearlAcoustics]

Thank you, you’re very kind!

[@Tartersauce101]

I played the hell out of this whole album. One of my favorites of this millennium. (Touch is a special track)

[@imDizee]

i just wanna say thank you ! discovered this album and this gets me through my day!!

[@PearlAcoustics]

You’re very welcome

[@noahg3488]

I think you in-depthly breaking down a Tame Impala record would be beautiful. I believe you would appreciate the craftsmanship of Kevin Parker.

[@PearlAcoustics]

Thank you. I will give him a listen. I am not familiar with Kevin Parker.

[@phil1702]

Really great video. As someone who has listened to it countless times, your thoughts really showed a perspective which is kind of so obvious but I never really thought about. The album has been following me around everywhere for the last years and I always loved the "real" feel to it while still sounding very modern and like the sound of the future, especially because I'm in my early 20's. I never really thought about how someone your age (no disrespect lol!) would feel about it and your nostalgic perspective gave a great insight on how differently this record can sound to people according to where the listener stands in life.

[@PearlAcoustics]

Dear Phil. Thank you very much for your kind words. They’re very much appreciated. I also found your comment extremely interesting. And in one so young (no disrespect! Lol). Seriously, glad I could put into words some insights that you could relate to. Enjoy your music and enjoy the journey. H.

[@CristhianSerrano]

love the theme of this video! may i suggest a very contrasting album next? Queens of the stone Age's Songs for the Deaf, I always have loved the sound of that album!

[@PearlAcoustics]

Thank you! Queens of the stone Age's Songs for the Deaf is indeed a massive step for me - but not impossible :-)

[@pc750-V4]

Thank you for this review, this was unknown to me until fairly recently and it was then floating around my list of possible purchases and I came across your review. I've now purchased it and was completely blown away by it. In your review you say you were not so keen on it through headphones but as I listen to music predominantly on headphones I was a little worried but I have to say I found it astonishing through my headphone setup.... I mean big WOW. Probably has jumped straight into my top 5 albums for audio quality, everything about it is superb. A great new discovery for me, thanks again. (The last track 'Contact' is a bit of a monster! )

[@PearlAcoustics]

Hi Peter. Thank you for your generous comment. I can totally understand why, as a headphones aficionado, you would enjoy listening to it with headphones. But I prefer two channel loudspeakers because you get a very different effect. You feel music as much as hear it, and your left and right ears hear sounds from both channels, and ones brain then processes that into a different kind of sonic image. Hoping I have expressed it well? It's personal preference. Enjoy your music, however you like to take it! :-)

[@pc750-V4]

@@PearlAcoustics 👍 keep the great recordings coming, its always interesting to get a decent length insightful view of music that perhaps would be outside of one's normal area. Discovery is always interesting.

[@kartickgrover]

Another phenomenal video Harley. I think this could have easily been an hour long and still would have been as interesting.

[@PearlAcoustics]

Thank you Kartick. You are very kind.

[@andrewcastro2530]

I really enjoy that you talk about the music we listen to and that you are open to something different. The other albums and artist you relate to makes me want to listen to those also. Gives me something more to look forward too! Thanks for taking the time. Enjoy Your Day..

[@PearlAcoustics]

Thank you Andrew, that’s very inspirational. Gives me fuel to continue!

[@John.Angell]

RAM was just different from any other electronic album I've ever heard. There was something very personal, almost vulnerable, about it's composition, which is almost a contradiction with electronic music. It's usually loud, rhythmic, catchy, but very detached.

[@TDDPhoto]

I grew up listening to Daft Punk when I was younger on Homework, Discovery and HAA. My parents of course thought it was obnoxious house music which was fair enough from their point of view. But when RAM dropped I knew my dad would love it. He however was quick to dismiss it because it was Daft Punk so he was convinced it wasn't for him. Now a few months ago I was at home listening to RAM on my hifi setup at home when my parents dropped by. Touch was playing fairly loudly and my dad came in and asked what wonderful music I was listening to. I told him it was Daft Punk and he was shocked, now last week we sat together and listened to the album in full and he loved the record. It was such a wonderful experience.

[@PearlAcoustics]

What a lovely story. Thanks for sharing

[@danijelsan81]

Nicely done once again. Thank you. I would recommend listening Nils Frahm Solo album. I really love that album, especially Circling track. He seems to be placing his microphones very close to the piano strings because you can really hear them vibrating on some tracks. His album Alll Melody is excellent as well. Track My Friend the Forest is a standout track for me personally.

[@PearlAcoustics]

Thanks Daniel, will certainly give Nils Frahm a serious listen and add to our Spotify play list.

[@jamesdwright]

Second Nils Frahm! I don't have his work on vinyl but his production quality is extremely good. His album Spaces is a good one to start with. The track Says is probably my favourite track of all time. It brings me to tears each time i hear it.

[@PearlAcoustics]

@@jamesdwright I have added him to our Great Recordings - Spotify list! Thanks

[@peterallen7528]

Nils Frahms Solo is an amazing recording - no doubt helped by the fact that it was recorded on a Klavins 450i - it is a vertical ‘piano’ which as the name suggests is 4.5m from top to bottom. Awesome - CORRECTION - it was a Klavins M370 - same principle.

[@PearlAcoustics]

@@peterallen7528 ok! Now you have me curious 🧐 I need to investigate!

[@kiddiabolik]

Sébastian Tellier's album Sexuality from 2008 was produced by Guy-Manuel and I think it was a great collaboration worth checking out; beautifully recorded, especially for low budget. Really great to see you don't need huge budgets and expensive equipment to make a great recording. Daft Punk's individual collaborations are always noteworthy. From a sonic perspective, Bangalter's work on the Irriversable soundtrack was outstanding - exploiting the psychological impact of infrasound and blurring the lines between music and sound 'design'/effects. It was great to revisit Random Access after watching this. I'm looking forward to watching your other videos from this series.

[@PearlAcoustics]

Thanks Joe, I will check out your recommendation. Enjoy the music

[@MattBorchert]

Thank you for sharing your passion with the world. :)

[@PearlAcoustics]

You’re very welcome Matt. Thanks for your kind comment

[@rigorhead01]

I just listened to this album for the first time (Master track streamed from Tidal), and it is so amazing! I see exactly what you mean: the über high quality of the recording and the masterful musicianship make this a phenomenal sounding record! Thank you for this!!

[@rarewhiteape]

In 20 years this album will be recognised as one of the greatest of all time.

[@dreddguy6454]

I've loved Daft Punk since Da Funk in '97. I'm excited to learn of The Parcels from so many contributors here in the comments section. Gonna check them right here on the Tube.

[@PearlAcoustics]

Same here!

[@manuzach]

Awesome! Giorgio by moroder is one of my go to tracks for listening in stereo !

[@PearlAcoustics]

Thank you. It is an outstanding track isn’t it!

[@manuzach]

@@PearlAcoustics absolutely, here’s a left turn for audiophile recordings ghost of Tom joad by Bruce Springsteen!

[@manuzach]

Curious if you are able to notice any difference between the lossless file on streaming vs a cd through a transport …assuming they run thru the same signal chain ..

[@PearlAcoustics]

@@manuzach ok - I need to hear that. Thanks!

[@PearlAcoustics]

@@manuzach - you know, that’s a very good question. I am not sure I would because, right now, I am using the CD as a transport into a Lyngdorf which amplifies fully in the digital domain, so typically it shouldn’t make a difference. I’ll let you know, or if you find the answer before me, reach out via the website. H.