Instant Crush

When you dive into Instant Crush, you encounter a story that evokes the melancholy of unrequited love, a feeling that seems to linger in the air of the song. The lyrics, born from a conversation between Julian Casablancas and Daft Punk, focus on the memory of a childhood encounter and the lost opportunity. Casablancas, at first, explored ideas based on the narrative presented to him, even considering a title like "Summer Crush". However, he felt these early lines failed to capture the essence. It was then that he opted to improvise melodies and words that would fit more naturally with the musical structure, thus managing to convey the duo’s vision more effectively. The song’s instrumentation is a notable collaboration: Casablancas contributed the lead vocals and guitar, while Daft Punk added layers of guitar, keyboards, and synthesizers. The bass is handled by Nathan East and the drums by John "JR" Robinson, with Quinn on percussion. The distinctiveness of Casablancas’ voice, tinged by the vocoder, was an element that sparked interest, and according to De Homem-Christo, the singer’s spontaneous reaction to the music made the experience even more thrilling for the duo.

The genesis of Instant Crush dates back to 2010, when Daft Punk and Julian Casablancas met in the studio through a mutual friend. The duo, admirers of the band The Strokes, presented Casablancas with an instrumental piece they had in mind for their next album. Casablancas responded positively and agreed to record his vocals, shaping what would become this song. In fact, he combined parts of two different demos from Daft Punk to create the verse and chorus structure. This collaboration materialized in the album Random Access Memories, released in 2013, and Instant Crush was the fourth single taken from it, published on November 22 of that same year. The music video, directed by Warren Fu—who was also involved in the album’s artwork and other Daft Punk videos—draws inspiration from the fairy tale "The Steadfast Tin Soldier" by Hans Christian Andersen and the series The Twilight Zone. Filmed in 35mm, the video tells the story of two wax figures, a soldier and a peasant girl, who share a tragic and romantic fate in an exhibition hall. Parts of the video were shot at Greystone Mansion in Los Angeles. The song, with its blend of synth-pop and electronic rock elements, became one of the standout tracks on the album.