Daft Punk have signed to Sony-owned Columbia and will release their fourth album this spring.

The French dance duo, which consists of Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, have left Virgin, with whom they signed in 1996.

The pair, who made a cameo in an episode of ‘The Simpsons’ last year, have been working with Chic’s Nile Rodgers, who previously hinted their fourth album would appear in 2013, as well as Oscar-winning songwriter Paul Williams and disco pioneer Giorgio Moroder. Animal Collective’s Panda Bear and Feist collaborator Chilly Gonzales are also rumoured to have collaborated with the Gallic duo.


There were strong rumours Daft Punk would be among the headliners announced for April’s Coachella Festival, with many disappointed when their names were absent, although Bestival organiser and BBC Radio 1 DJ Rob Da Bank told eFestivals earlier this year that the band would definitely not be touring during 2013.

He said: “There’s all kinds of crazy rumours flying about at the moment about Daft Punk at Coachella, and The Rolling Stones playing Glastonbury. We got told months ago that Daft Punk were definitely not touring next year, but it keeps the rumour mill going.”

Daft Punk released their debut album ‘Homework’ in 1997, followed by ‘Discovery’ and ‘Human After All’ in 2001 and 2005 respectively. Their most recent release was the soundtrack for ‘Tron: Legacy’ in 2010.