Thomas Bangalter walked into a repurposed shipping container in Brooklyn this week and delivered his first solo DJ set in the United States in over 17 years. The Daft Punk co-founder made a surprise appearance Monday at The Lot Radio, where he spun a 75-minute set that showcased his deep knowledge of electronic and experimental music.
Surprise Stream from Brooklyn
The Lot Radio, a Brooklyn station known for platforming underground and experimental artists, announced Bangalter's performance only as it began, giving fans virtually no warning before the stream went live. His last US solo DJ appearance came in April 2009, when he played at Cinespace in Los Angeles to celebrate the birthday of Pedro Winter, the former manager of Daft Punk and founder of Ed Banger Records.
Deep Cuts and Solo Material
Bangalter pulled from a wide-ranging catalog, spinning tracks from Burial, Aphex Twin, Boards of Canada, Flying Lotus and horror filmmaker John Carpenter, among others. He also used the set to spotlight material from his recent solo album Mirage before closing out with Daft Punk's "Contact," a deliberate nod to the duo that defined his legacy before its dissolution in 2021.
No Reunion on the Horizon
In an interview with The Times last week, Bangalter addressed the inevitable reunion speculation directly. "No," he said. "I'm really happy that throughout our long run we were able to not screw it up. There are other things to explore."
The full performance is now available to watch on YouTube, complete with a tracklist spanning classical composer Iannis Xenakis, techno pioneer Plastikman, and Bangalter's own recent orchestral work.
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