Robot Rock (song)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| "Robot Rock" | ||
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| Single by Daft Punk | ||
| from the album Human After All | ||
| Released | April 11, 2005 | |
| Format | CD, 12" | |
| Recorded | 2004 | |
| Genre | French house, Dance, Electronica | |
| Length | 4:47 | |
| Label | Virgin Records | |
| Writer(s) | Thomas Bangalter Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo Kae Williams |
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| Producer(s) | Daft Punk, Cédric Hervet, Gildas Loaëc | |
| Chart positions | ||
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| Daft Punk singles chronology | ||
| "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" (2001) |
"Robot Rock" (2005) |
"Technologic" (2005) |
"Robot Rock" is the first single from Daft Punk's 2005 album Human After All. While receiving moderate chart attention, many critics found the song overly repetitive. It prominently features sampled portions of "Release the Beast" performed by Breakwater.
Contents |
[edit] Structure
The track is essentially based on one looped riff sampled from the Breakwater song "Release the Beast". In addition, Daft Punk incorporated elements of "Release the Beast" in the production and added the single's titular talk box vocal phrase. The permitted use of the sample is credited in the single's sleeve and on the liner notes included with Human After All. This was not the first time Daft Punk have based a track on a sampled riff ("Digital Love" would be a noted example) but it is the first to introduce very few other elements.
Notably, the "Maximum Overdrive" remix of the single removes the main Breakwater riff and consists mainly of the track's other sampled elements (which include guitar power chords and percussion) with the vocal for a duration of nearly six minutes. A video for this remix has been shot and included on Daft Punk's Musique Vol. 1 1993-2005 compilation CD/DVD.
[edit] Reception
Though it reached moderate positions in UK and U.S. dance charts, the single encountered criticism for its general structure. A review in Stylus Magazine expressed that the track "does nothing, means nothing and goes nowhere for an unconscionably long time."[1] References to earlier Daft Punk singles were also mentioned, as Rolling Stone declared "nothing builds to achieve the prior glories of "Da Funk" or "One More Time"[2] and Pitchfork Media noted that the single "is a poor man's 'Aerodynamic'."[3]
[edit] Additional notes
- The sampled riff features the sound of an oscillator sync patch on an analog synthesizer.
- The same Breakwater sample was previously used in the track "Intro" by Murs.
- "Robot Rock" was the fourth piece of music played at the 2005 Bastille Day fireworks at the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
[edit] Single track listing
- CD VSCDX1897
- "Robot Rock" (Radio Edit)
- "Robot Rock" (Soulwax Remix)
- "Robot Rock" (Maximum Overdrive)
- "Robot Rock"
- 12" VST1897
- "Robot Rock"
- "Robot Rock" (Soulwax Remix)
- "Robot Rock" (Maximum Overdrive)
- "Rockapella"
[edit] References
- ^ Matthew Weiner, Human After All review at Stylus Magazine Online (March 14 2005)
- ^ Barry Walters, Human After All review Rolling Stone (April 7 2005)
- ^ Mark Pytlik, Human After All review Pitchfork Media (March 15 2005)
[edit] External links
| Daft Punk |
|---|
| Thomas Bangalter • Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo
Albums: Homework • Discovery • Alive 1997 • Daft Club • Human After All • Musique Vol. 1 1993-2005 Singles: "The New Wave" • "Da Funk" • "Around the World" • "Burnin'" • "Revolution 909" • "One More Time" • "Aerodynamic" • "Digital Love" • "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" • "Robot Rock" • "Technologic" • "Human After All" • "The Prime Time of Your Life" Film and VHS/DVD: D.A.F.T. • Interstella 5555 • Electroma |
