Random Access Memories is the fourth studio album by French
electronic music duo
Daft Punk. It was released on 17 May 2013 by the duo's imprint Daft Life, under exclusive license to
Columbia Records. The album pays tribute to the late
1970s and early
1980s era of music in the United States, particularly the sounds that emerged from
Los Angeles. This tribute was reflected in the gradual promotional rollout for the album that included billboards, television advertisements, and a
web series. Unlike their previous studio albums, Daft Punk recruited session musicians to perform
live instrumentation in professional recording locations, and limited the use of electronic instruments to
drum machines, a custom-built
modular synthesizer, and vintage
vocoders. The album features collaborations with
Giorgio Moroder,
Panda Bear,
Julian Casablancas,
Todd Edwards,
DJ Falcon,
Chilly Gonzales,
Nile Rodgers,
Paul Williams, and
Pharrell Williams.