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Thomas Bangalter

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Thomas Bangalter, born in Paris in 1975, is a French musician, producer, DJ and composer. He is best known as one half of the electronic duo Daft Punk, together with Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, whom he met at school in 1987. His mother was a dancer and choreographer; his father, Daniel Vangarde, wrote and produced disco for artists including the Gibson Brothers and Ottawan. Bangalter played piano as a child. With Homem-Christo and Laurent Brancowitz he first started a small indie rock band, Darlin'. A bad review described their sound as a daft punky thrash, and that became the duo's name.

Music and breakthrough

Daft Punk chose electronic music. Bangalter recorded Homework in his bedroom, and his label Roulé released his own records and those of others. With Alan Braxe and Benjamin Diamond he made the club hit Music Sounds Better with You in 1998 as Stardust. He also worked with the DJ Falcon as Together. In the years that followed, Daft Punk released Discovery, Human After All and Random Access Memories, and in 2016 produced two tracks for The Weeknd. In 2002 Bangalter composed the music for the film Irréversible.

Influence

In 2021 Daft Punk split up. Bangalter then made ballet and film music on his own label, Alberts and Gothmaan, for example Mythologies in 2022 and the album Mythologies in 2023, and later Chiroptera. He gave up the robot mask because in 2023 he no longer wanted to be a robot, and said that he would not leave drum machines and synthesizers behind for good. His work has influenced a wide range of artists.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to Music Sounds Better with You by Stardust and notice the filtered disco sample that keeps repeating and slowly blossoms open. Can you hear how a single loop carries the whole record?

Discography

Studio albums

Categories: Artists