On Enjoyment
I'm just polishing up a book titled so you're having an existential crisis by Ben Thomas (better known as Sisyphus 55 on YouTube). In it, he briefly mentions the concept of pleasure versus enjoyment. In short, the book paints pleasure as something that can be achieved quickly (scrolling, potato chips, you know the deal) whereas enjoyment takes a little more effort to develop. It takes goal-setting, attention, and effort for something to be truly enjoyed (the first thing that comes to mind is hang-gliding. Wouldn't that be fun to try?). From what I gather, enjoyment is something that can be thoroughly appreciated due to our more intentional involvement. Yeah - let's go with that!
To take this concept of enjoyment further, I'd like to discuss my own enjoyment of one French duo known for their sampling of 70s music with a thrashy-yet-melodic flare: Daft Punk. What can I say? That Fortnite collab put them back on the brain. You might see listening to music on more of of the lighter, pleasure-focused side of the spectrum mentioned above, but I want to talk about Daft Punk.
While my interest in most other artists have came and went, Daft Punk has been there early on and only ever taken a small hiatus before I'd by-chance hear their music and get hooked again. At this point, I have their vocal loops, drums, and lead synths practically memorized. Despite each album defining a new era for the group, I often wondered what elements kept me intrigued by their whole discography. Was it the helmets? Probably in large part - so much so that it's become equally fascinating to see pictures with their helmets off. It's like "Wow! Daft Punk is so cool! They've shown their faces and, like, don't even care!"
But I think the driving factor is how the artist (and their team) have kept everything looped together - both in audio and visuals. The helmets are their defining characteristic, but they were not afraid to play around with colors or LCD screens throughout the years. They've been able to slowly build up the characters of Guy-Man and Thomas with intention, laying music as the groundwork for stories of a band seeking freedom (Interstella 5555) and two robots grappling with their search for humanity.
These stories feel unified in the duo's signature sampling style while still expressing distinct, but not necessarily siloed, themes. Of course a DJ will remix their own tracks, but the blending tactic of Daft Punk goes beyond the music and aligns with the storied themes of the track, giving the listener something to truly enjoy. At least, in my own heavily biased opinion.
Maybe, all it takes to enjoy something is to find something to chew on. You can take pleasure in a song without putting much mind to it, but dig deeper and you'll enjoy the experience. :)
I've included links to a few late 90s Daft Punk sets bootlegged to YouTube. I almost can't work while listening to them because they get me too freaking stoked. 🪖
I've included links to a few late 90s Daft Punk sets bootlegged to YouTube. I almost can't work while listening to them because they get me too freaking stoked. 🪖
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