By Kien M. Lee | Editor-at-Large

SENATUS examines the exceptional re-emergence of the eclectic French electronica band Daft Punk which looks set to continue on its meteoric rise from 2013 into the new year, with a retro-sound that has an absorbing, immediate, contemporary magnetism to the modern listener.

Daft Punk and Pharrell Williams’ collaboration in the French duo’s album didn’t just "get lucky", but won in every category they were nominated in at the 2014 Grammy Awards held in January, claiming everything from the coveted Album of the Year for its album 'Random Access Memories' to Record of the Year for 'Get Lucky'.

Daft Punk’s retro-inspired, dance-flavored album had featured Pharrell (who has gone on to see a revival with an Oscar nomination for 'Happy' for the movie Despicable Me 2), as well as music veterans like Nile Rodgers and Giorgio Moroder, in a renaissance with its funk-electronic sound, harking back to the electronica landscape of the 1990s when the band first burst onto the scene.

Random Access Memories is the fourth studio album for Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, the names behind Daft Punk, and represents a bold departure from their first three productions.

The 70s-vibe of Random Access Memories leaves behind the highly influential, riff-heavy EDM of the sounds, styles, and production techniques of the 1970s and early 80s. Instead the album offers a delightful combination of disco, soft rock, and even progressive pop, with some Broadway-style pop bombast and stadium-dance aesthetic thrown into the mix as well.

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Daft Punk for Saint Laurent
Daft Punk were also participants in Hedi Slimane's "Saint Laurent Music Project" ad campaign, posing in glittery black suits and shiny helmets against a plain white background. The pair has worn Slimane's suits since the designer was back at Dior Homme, and he commissioned them to mix the full fifteen-minute soundtrack for his debut Saint Laurent womenswear show.

The instantly-recognizable glittery outfits from Saint Laurent by Hedi Slimane can be seen as well in the duo's music video for Get Lucky as well as in several public appearances and performances.

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The production of Random Access Memories was exceptionally high, which made all the accolades especially gratifying, with attention to detail and no expense spared; compositions were recorded in the best studios, using the best musicians, composers and vocalists including Chilly Gonzales, Todd Edwards and Paul Williams, as well as choirs and orchestras to add to the full sensory experience.

Sampling was only done selectively, compared to the band’s previous proclivity to use this method much more heavily, having been central to several of their biggest hits from the first three albums.

Most importantly Daft Punk has focused on bringing the listener on a journey and reminds us what an LP in its finest form, was always meant to be.

Get the Random Access Memories from Columbia Records now on iTunes