The Parisian duo of Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo finally returned from their hiatus in December with "One More Time." Until that triumphant step back into the spotlight, they were focused on their self-run house labels, Bangalter's Roulé and Homem-Christo's Crydamoure. But their new, new sound was more than a bit bemusing: Heavy on pop sheen and light on intensity, it heralded a new Daft Punk, with its eye firmly fixed on the much-maligned "larger audience." Even a cursory listen to the rest of the hotly anticipated Discovery revealed an unmistakable drifting away from Homework's dancefloor fireworks toward emotional tenderness and introspection. Where their debut had "Da Funk" and "Rollin' & Scratchin'," the new album has the funked-up ballads "Digital Love" and "Something About Us" and the instrumental excursions "Voyager" and "Veridis Quo."

To be sure, Bangalter, 26, and Homem-Christo, 27, still kick out the jams on Discovery, on tracks such as the Barry Manilow-sampling "Superheroes," and "High Life," only now they're kicking with a soft-soled, comfortable shoe instead of a combat boot. Bangalter gave Eric Demby the lowdown on this hoedown.