>8. Get Lucky
So much of Daft Punk's music is anchored in the past, and so much is focusing to the future. And yes, the genius of their work is in the balance of these two contrasts, but 'Get Lucky' is the moment when the band existed solely in the present and nowhere else. Which is ironic, given how nostalgic the song is, with its handclaps, disco guitar and Pharrell croon. This though is the song that the band will perhaps always be known for: 2013 was the summer that you couldn't move for hearing that sultry chord progression, the glimmer of those vocals and that infectious need to play the song at high volume. It's just wonderfully woven pop music, the like of which so many claim this century is bereft of. 'Blurred Lines', eat your heart out. 9. Beyond
With 80s fantasy film faux-brass, 'Beyond' kicks off the final furlong of 'Random Access Memories', before the track settles into another vocodor-led expedition. Only this time, the band seem to be enthused with the pop gold of the last few tracks, as 'Beyond' skids with Fleetwood Mac guitar slides, a carefree melody and a beautiful arpeggiated outro: gone is the melancholy of the album's first act. And though the voice behind 'Beyond' is all but as anonymous as Daft Punk themselves, he stills holds up well against the likes of Pharrell and Julian Casablancas; Daft Punk are perhaps the biggest dance act of all time because they know that beyond glassy production, brilliant melody is what makes a song timeless. 10. Motherboard
For all the orchestral flourishes, it's the synth action where Daft Punk still thrive. Being robots has made them somewhat ageless, let's face it, because while most rock bands can't pull off fingering the same riffs long into their forties, Thomas and Guy-Man still knob-twiddle with teenage verve. 'Motherboard' is much more tentative than the brash 'Beyond'. Woodwind, a harpsichord and more strings feature prominently, but again it's the electronics that shine through everything else; this is as exciting as Kraftwerk at their peak, as well-crafted as golden-era Chemical Brothers and as catchy as anything Basement Jaxx ever put their name to. Which would be impressive even for a first single, but it's such a good record that this is, actually, one of the "fillers". It's not a song you'll reel off to your friends when you're agreeing how fantastic 'Random Access Memories' is, and yet it's still goosebump-inducingly beautiful. What a band.