When word broke out last month that Daft Punk and The Weeknd were hitting the studio together, fans were understandably excited to hear the results of their collaboration. Now, the fruits of their labor is finally here as “Starboy” hits the internet for streaming, ahead of The Weeknd’s upcoming album of the same name.
“Starboy” definitely warrants comparisons to Daft Punk’s collaborations with Pharrel Williams off 2013’s Random Access Memories, as the robotic duo layer soulful electronic music beneath his pristine tenor vocals. Analog drum hits craft an intrinsic groove throughout the song, serving as a sturdy backdrop for the Canadian singer’s rapid hooks, as retro synth strings and wordless vocoder melodies fill the speakers.
Fans will no doubt be excited to hear new music from Daft Punk, who’ve been largely quiet on the release front following their latest album three years ago. That being said, the French duo take the back burner on the new single, delivering a production that lets the vocalist shine. Either way, it’s a strong effort from Daft Punk and will hopefully serve as the first of more new music from them to surface in the near future.
“Starboy” will be the title track for The Weeknd’s upcoming album, which is set to drop on November 25.