- Danceability (Groovy-ness)
- Originality
- Intensity
- Catchiness
- Ensemble
Justice is a heavy-hitting dance group that has found a warm welcome in the EDM (Electronic Dance Music) community. Hailing from Paris, France, Xavier du Rosnay and Gaspar Augé make up one of the most important acts in Electronic Music. They’ve been active since 2003, releasing their first studio album in 2007, solely titled †, colloquially referred to as “Cross.” After spawning the mega-hit single D.A.N.C.E., Justice made it clear that Cross would be a tough album to follow up on. Justice’s booming bass lines and bombastic beats have a powerful sound to them that has lit up European nightclubs for the past few years, and brought Augé and du Rosnay the fame they’ve been after in France’s burgeoning Electronic scene.
Justice has always been known for incorporating huge rock influences in their Electronic, self-described “Opera Disco” sound, and their new album Audio, Video, Disco pushes that mixture more in the direction than their previous work. Audio, Video, Disco is a huge-sounding record, and breathes in some fresh air to Justice’s already full sails. There is more use of electric guitars and synthesized leads than in Cross, and more songs written in a Major Key. “Civilization,” the first single from the album, even includes an ambitious flute solo. The flute makes a return in “Parade,” the eighth track of the album.
Du Rosnay and Gaspard describe the contrast between Cross and Audio, Video, Disco as “night and day,” literally. Cross was written to be played at night in crowded clubs, and each song on that album makes use of powerful grooves. “Waters of Nazareth” is the kind of music that I would be request be played at a bare-knuckle fistfight. Audio, Video, Disco, on the other hand, has been described as du Rosnay as “daytime music…slightly more laid back,” than Cross.
Justice’s signature heavy, distorted sound is interestingly absent from their biggest hit, D.A.N.C.E. This distortion does make a comeback in Audio, Video, Disco, but there is nowhere near the same level of intensity that Cross had to it as a whole. The album’s best use of distortion, in my opinion, is in the fifth track “Canon.” Instead of a heavily distorted bass line, Justice uses a distorted and slightly de-tuned synth lead arpeggio as the main hook of the song, at times layering in an octave harmony. The bass and drums seem to follow this synth part as it weaves around the song.
While some may appreciate the lack of a ridiculously heavy sound, Justice’s appeal to many (myself included) stems from their massive sound. Their remix of MGMT’s “Electric Feel” featured a massive bass line that sounds like a heavily distorted slap bass part straight out of the archives of Funkadelic’s darker days. Audio, Video, Disco just doesn’t have the same frenetic energy that Cross had to it.
That doesn’t mean that Audio, Video, Disco is a bad album. There are some great dance tunes on this record that make me want to dance. There are just no songs that make me want to shotgun a can of Mountain Dew, jump out a window, and fight a wild boar. “Horsepower,” the aptly-named opening track, reminds me of a car revving up its engine, climbing from first to fourth gear as it increases speed. However, I can’t honestly say that there is a track on this album that makes it into fifth gear. The titular track, “Audio, Video, Disco,” makes use of an interesting vocal sample and provides a strong ending to the album.
“Helix,” my personal favorite track, has a groovy guitar lick that interplays with an equally groovy synth line. Justice-Helix The song changes rhythm multiple times throughout, but the changes of intensity are never awkward.
Overall, I give this album 3.5 stars out of 5. The album is certainly above average, and has some good tracks. It is certainly not the best work Justice has put out, and was a welcome addition to their small discography. However, I would like to see Justice move in the future away from the “daytime” style of Audio, Video, Disco, and return to the sordid sounds of Cross.
Justice has already sold out two shows at Terminal 5 in Manhattan this March, on 3/16 and 3/17. Tickets sold out within a week of going on sale. They will be appearing at the annual Ultra Music Festival.
