Iconic indie pop band Phoenix have revealed they collaborated with Daft Punk’s Thomas Bangalter for his or her new album.
Talking with Stereogum for the outlet’s “We have Received A File On You” interview sequence, Phoenix, who’re celebrating their twenty fifth anniversary this yr, mentioned they labored with Bangalter to provide Alpha Zulu, the band’s seventh full-length album.
Frontman Thomas Mars mentioned the legendary Daft Punk member at instances stuffed the void of Philippe Zdar, their late French compatriot and a deeply influential musician who helped produce a handful of the band’s albums. Zdar tragically died following an unintended fall in Paris in 2019.
“The mixer performed an necessary half on this one,” Mars mentioned. “And Thomas [Bangalter] from Daft Punk got here just a few instances to assist us out, simply to play the position of Philippe, who was this charismatic drive that knew who we have been and will give us recommendation as a result of he is aware of the place we wish to go, he is aware of the place we come from, he’s a pal. Thomas performed slightly little bit of the identical position. He is aware of the potential of a track; he is aware of what a demo may sound like. He would assist us select slightly bit.”
Bangalter’s involvement in Alpha Zulu, Phoenix’s first LP since 2017, pours gasoline on an album that has the texture of a tour de drive for the band. It was recorded on the Musée des Arts décoratifs, which is a part of the enduring Louvre Palace.
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And within the wake of the robots’ surprising break up after 28 years, it appears Daft Punk’s destiny mirrors the album’s thematic ideas.
“It is technicolor, and on the identical time it is about dying and growing older,” Mars mentioned of Alpha Zulu.
Elsewhere within the interview, Mars and Laurent “Branco” Brancowitz, Phoenix’s lead guitarist, mentioned the epic Daft Punk cameo throughout their encore at Madison Sq. Backyard in 2010, once they introduced out the duo to carry out “More durable, Higher, Sooner, Stronger.”
“It’s enjoyable to see the set listing after which to see ‘More durable, Higher, Sooner, Stronger,’ ‘1901.’ That was a extremely enjoyable reminiscence,” Mars recalled. “And to maintain the key was additionally actually enjoyable. We needed to pull out large drapes in order that the workers of the Madison Sq. Backyard wouldn’t see them as a result of they needed to rehearse as robots to verify they might see what they have been taking part in. We stored it a secret even from individuals within the crew or from those that work for us as a result of they’re going to inform all of the document corporations that tonight one thing particular goes to occur after which it’s going to leak. So we stored it secret and that was actually enjoyable.”
Alpha Zulu is due out on Friday, November 4th.