Daft Punk New Album: 'Random Access Memories' Gets First Advance Reviews

A lucky group of journalists were recently invited to be the first to hear Daft Punk's first new album in nearly a decade, Random Access Memories.  The fortuitous bunch were invited to Sony where the only copy of the record is housed. I've gathered some of their reactions to the first listen below.

Bizarre called certain tracks like Motherboard "epic and ambitious" and described the Julian Casablancas collaboration "Instant Crush" as "The Strokes go disco."

Digital Spy praised the entire album saying "Rather than simply hammering listeners with an older-is-better schtick, Daft Punk offer up moments in between the funky soul that are both mind-boggling and utterly bonkers."

All of this adds up to a "bold and daring record that is thrilling, mind-blowing and, at times, a touch frustrating."

Gigwise couldn't get enough of "Giorgio by Moroder," the dance history lesson/ monster track.

"Here is where the album gets truly epic," Gigwise claims. 'Previous Daft Punk albums have been adored by fans - but at times have raised eyebrows with the quantity of samples used... Built upon a spoken word narrative by the iconic seventies producer, the track is 50% documentary, 50% beautiful disco track... Giorgio By Moroder is the most intricate and intelligent track of Daft Punk's career."

Bizarre also loved the song.

"Die hard dance music fans will love this 9 minute opus," they wrote. "Giorgio Moroder, who brought synthesizer sounds into the mainstream, talks through how he started out before huge synths kick in and the track builds with slap bass, jazz piano and massive crashing drums. Starts off gently, ends sounding like the duo's early material."

What do you think? Are you excited for Random Access Memories (which drops May 21)? Would you have liked to be in that room as they listened to the album for the first time?