Pitchfork has confirmed that "Computerized," a collaboration between Jay Z and Daft Punk is real (although they didn't cite sources). Still, many a mystery remains regarding the song, including "what was it meant for?"
Pitchfork's report indicates that the song was recorded during 2013, although no indication was given whether the track was meant for Daft Punk's Random Access Memories or Jay Z's Magna Carta Holy Grail, or perhaps for a side release of some sort. If "Computerized" is a leftover B-side from either project, we'd have to slap the responsible party on the back of the head and demand why, as the track would merit the top spot on either album.
That sounds like a stretch, considering Random Access Memories won the Album of The Year Grammy. That album's most endearing tracks featured vocals from Pharrell Williams and others, and a Jay Z-assisted track would fit right in. Indeed, "Computerized" feels more like a Daft Punk project, as the central concept revolves around Orwellian themes. On one hand, Jay raps about how emotionally detached he's become (almost robotic, a metaphorical computer), and he ties that to the notion that society is losing its touch due to waves of technology distracting us (literal computers). Jay sums it up best with the line "I got an iTouch but I can't feel."
The production is all Daft Punk of course, featuring a factory of electronic keys that glow despite giving off no heat. That coldness plays into the lyrical themes, and the frosty feeling might be the reason this track was left off of Random Access Memories (assuming it's a Daft track), an album that was otherwise optimistic in nature.
As of right now, there's no announced plans for a release of "Computerized." It seems like everyone else has dropped a Record Store Day exclusive, so we can only hope this might show up in April.
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