Do we like them?

Do we like Thomas Bangalter?

Our score: 6 out of 10. No harmful words or company turned up, but the record of good deeds is thin, so this stops short of a rave.

Thomas Bangalter is the half of Daft Punk who spent three decades behind a robot helmet. He co-founded the duo with Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo in the 1990s and has since moved into film scores, opera soundtracks and ballet. US public radio has told the story of his swing from the dancefloor to classical composing.

The big pivot was writing a symphonic score for choreographer Angelin Preljocaj. Euronews places it alongside his film work and opera soundtracks. It shows a bloke who would rather keep stretching than cash in on a reunion tour.

On the harm check, the cupboard is bare in a good way. Searches for anything on LGBTQ+ people, women, migrants, climate or health turned up no statements or campaigns, and no dodgy company. His public comments are about technology: in 2023 he said he was “terrified” by AI, and that worry was tied to why the duo ended. That is a view about art, not about people.

The recent news is mostly a closed door. Speaking to The Times in June 2026, he ruled out a comeback and said “There are other things to explore.” He also said he is now “just a human without any superpowers.” The new solo album came out the same week.

The honest gap is the good-deeds column. No charity work or acts of kindness turned up in what we could read, and there were no court cases or accusations either. So it is a clean sheet rather than a glowing one. Supportable, just not a saint with a paper trail.