Thomas Bangalter has announced his new album 'Mirage - Ballet for 16 Dancers', a classical score due June 5 on Erato. The Daft Punk co-founder wrote the eight-track project as the soundtrack to a 60-minute ballet of the same name. Notably, the piece premiered last May at Geneva's Grand Théâtre.
The ballet pairs choreographer Damien Jalet with contemporary artist Kōhei Nawa. Meanwhile, Thomas Bangalter composed the score around the sculptural approach to sound championed by Greek-French composer Iannis Xenakis. In turn, the music lands as both a standalone album and a live stage companion.
The first release from the project, ‘Mirage: Part II’, arrives on Friday, April 24. Crucially, the early cut gives fans a first look at the album’s tonal direction. Early listeners describe hypnotic textures, orchestral layering and long-form compositional arcs that move well beyond club structure.
The announcement continues Bangalter’s pivot into classical and orchestral work. Following Daft Punk‘s 2021 split, his output has leaned firmly compositional. His 2023 album ‘Mythologies’ also scored a ballet, premiered at the Opéra national de Bordeaux. Furthermore, the Erato label has since become his creative home.
Still, the album carries a clear through-line to his Daft Punk years. Bangalter’s ear for repetition, hypnotic pulse and sonic architecture sits inside the new work. Equally, the ballet format gives that instinct a fresh canvas.
‘Mirage’ arrives against a wider Daft Punk anniversary cycle. Finally, the album lands June 5, with the lead cut ‘Mirage: Part II’ previewing April 24 across streaming platforms. An Art Basel adjacent event is planned around the release window.
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