Daily Jam - Veridis Quo

A little bit of a play on words, Daft Punk’s “Veridis Quo,” from the 2001 album Discovery, comes from the Latin phrase “Quo Vadis?” which roughly translates to “Where are you going?” or “What is your purpose?” Christian lore posits that Saint Peter asked this of Jesus, upon meeting the risen Christ whilst fleeing a likely crucifixion in Rome. Jesus then responded that he was going back into Rome to be crucified again, giving Peter the courage to stay with his ministry before his eventual martyrdom. In a non-religious sense, the phrase could be taken to mean that you simply need to do what is right. Follow your heart. Be a good person. Be true to yourself. Maintain your own integrity.

“Veridis Quo” also phonetically sounds like “very disco,” an apt summation of the artists’ sound, and a phrase that when swapped, spells out the name of the album the song is derived from.

Cool, huh?

All manner of wordplay aside, this instrumental track from the French duo has always been a go to jam of mine for road travel. There is something almost infinitely sad or melancholy about it, despite its thumping 4-beat and wholly hummable melody. And it perfectly suits and soundtracks the passing hills and valleys and trees, a world moving by through my window. It scores my path through townships and cityscapes alike, hazy day trips and neon-tinted night drives. It’s like watching life from afar, all the while you keep moving forward.

Or maybe it’s just something your body can slinkily shake to, a sultry selection of wistful synth-pop. It’s a lovely and catching piece of work nonetheless, and I find my head eternally bobbing to its synthetic, pulsing groove.

Very disco indeed.

Check it out below, our Daily Jam.