Daft Punk – a French electronic music duo formed in 1993 in Paris by Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter.
Soma Records – an independent label based in Glasgow which was co-founded in 1991 by the electronic music duo Slam
It was on said Glasgow label that Daft Punk released all their earliest singles. The legend (and maybe even the truth) is that Guy, Thomas and Stuart McMillan of Slam met while enjoying themselves at a rave at Euro Disney in September 1993. The third single, in May 1995, was Da Funk, a slow-burning hit in clubs before receiving a big exposure when Chemical Brothers began incorporating it in their DJ sets at festivals.
The interest in the tune, and indeed in Daft Punk themselves, led to something of a bidding war which was eventually won by Virgin Records. Da Funk was re-released, aided and abetted by a hugely innovative promo directed by Spike Jonze, and went straight into the Top 10 in the first week after its re-release in February 1997.
This version is taken from the duo’s debut album, Homework:-
mp3: Daft Punk – Da Funk
Still sounds ridiculously fresh to me.
Oh, and here’s the video. Keep an eye out for the bit at 2 mins 31 seconds as it hold the key as to why it couldn’t have a happy ending…….
THE NEW VINYL VILLAIN 
I’ve never seen that video before. Very strange and very good.
I remember hearing Da Funk, and was immediately hooked.
A fantastic tune and video. I probably first heard it on Annie Nightingale’s late night BBC Radio 1 show first, but remember seeing the video on TV (likely The Chart Show).
As for Slam providing the song with a UK release, not for nothing was the label called Soma Quality Recordings.
Wonderful stuff.