On February 22, 2021, the legendary duo Daft Punk announced their disbandment through a dreamlike and cryptic video on YouTube simply titled "Epilogue." However, one of its members, Thomas Bangalter, will release a solo album in April 2023 called "Mythologies."

In February 2021, the whole world mourned on social media and elsewhere the end of the most internationally famous French musical project: Daft Punk. Its two members, Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, made their final bow in a video titled "Epilogue," reminiscent of their very contemplative feature film they produced in 2006, Daft Punk Electroma. Since then, they have scarcely been talked about, except during tribute events, such as the broadcast yesterday on France 2 of the first documentary dedicated to them, "Unchained" (2014)…

A project by Thomas Bangalter of Daft Punk with Angelin Preljocaj

Then suddenly, on Friday, July 30, 2022, the National Opera of Bordeaux announced the program from July 1 to July 10, 2022, of a new show: a ballet by Angelin Preljocaj with music entirely composed by Thomas Bangalter. Little information was given about the event, but the Opera's website mentions that the creation, in co-production with the Ballet Preljocaj, "explores contemporary rituals and founding myths that shape the collective imagination." Titled "Mythologies," the ballet is an opportunity for the French choreographer, a superstar since his creation "Le Parc" (1994), to reconnect with the world of electronic music. He had indeed, since the early 2000s, collaborated with the biggest names in the electro scene, from Nicolas Godin of Air – in "Near Life Experience" (2003) and "La Fresque" (2016) – to Laurent Garnier and Karlheinz Stockhausen, the great German electroacoustic music composer, in 2001 and again in 2007. Thomas Bangalter, for his part, is not new to solo projects. He notably signed two tracks for the soundtrack of "Climax," the film by the French controversial filmmaker Gaspar Noé, in 2018…

Thomas Bangalter unmasked for his solo album, Mythologies

In other good news for Daft Punk fans, Thomas Bangalter will release a new album, "Mythologies," on April 7 on the Erato/Warner Classics label, stemming from his collaboration with Angelin Preljocaj. Composed of 23 tracks with mythological titles (The Minotaur, Aphrodite, The Gorgons), and featuring a dreamlike drawing on its cover, the project will take us far from the world of clubs and electronics. Indeed, the artist promises orchestral ballet music. The first tracks unveiled (The Delivery and The Minotaur) are both lyrical and melancholic, notably marked by poignant violins.

This new venture is an opportunity for Thomas Bangalter to show himself, unmasked, in a drawing of his face by the French illustrator Stéphane Manel. The partner of Élodie Bouchez explains, in a press release, his desire to explore humanity after having been immersed in technology. Regarding Daft Punk, a reissue of the album "Random Access Memories" (2013) – enhanced with 35 minutes of unreleased tracks – will see the light of day on May 12, 2023. The robots have thus not quite said their last word...