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Rating: The Justice made me reassess dance music. Their energy, unleashed by the imposing alternation of keyboards, distorted basses, and pounding drums, which at first glance seemed harsh to me, involved me like a mosh pit at a metal concert.
The remixed versions from the live album A Cross the Universe confirmed my impressions. For those who may not know, Justice is a French DJ duo who released We Are Your Friends in 2006, a remix of Simian's song Never Be Alone. The following year, they released their debut album (Cross) for Ed Banger Records, a French electronic music label managed by Daft Punk's manager, Pedro Winter aka Busy P. Gaining success worldwide, Justice decided to take some time off to work on their new album, which is what I'm about to review. Preceded by two singles (the splendid Civilization and the mediocre title track that features a lengthy single-shot sequence in the video), Audio, Video, Disco (from the Latin I hear, I see, I learn) marks a sharp turn for the duo towards vintage rock sounds, which surprised and somewhat disappointed the fans who were expecting a Cross 2. And if the second album is always the hardest in an artist's career, Justice didn’t do too badly. Comparing them to Daft Punk, as all critics do in reviews dedicated to Justice, one might liken this to Discovery. In fact, both look to the past and the probable citation of their individual musical idols. While Daft Punk looked to funk, dance, and Moroder and Cerrone's Italo disco, Justice now looks to progressive rock, to Yes and Brian May's endless solos (and again to Moroder, why not?). Audio, Video, Disco features several sung tracks more than their debut, but the most successful ones are undoubtedly the purely instrumental ones.
If the imposing Horsepower wavers between an interesting orchestral composition and a B-series TV show theme, the central pivot of the album is Canon, preceded by a prologue with an almost medieval flavor, which presents instrumental evolutions never reached by the group in question, leaving the listener thrilled as keyboards and guitars virtuously soar over high notes phenomenally. The vocal parts often try to emulate the Who or the aforementioned Yes, not always too effectively (Ohio, On’n On, Newlands). However, the dilemma I face is this: does this album warrant merit or not? Probably Audio, Video, Disco is more innocuous and won't have the musical significance that Cross had on electronic groups of the time like Boys Noize, Bloody Beetroots, or MSTRKRFT (even if here, in some cases, they lean more towards fidget house). In any case, it is a very enjoyable album, worth listening to.
P.S. Doesn't the vocal sampling in Helix sound like a cross between George Michael and Tiziano Ferro? What a magnificent featuring that would be. Haha!
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
03 D.A.N.C.E. ()
Do the D.A.N.C.E.
1 2 3 4 fight
Stick to the B.E.A.T.
Get ready to ignite
You were such a P.Y.T.
Catching all the lights
Just easy as A.B.C.
That's how you make it right (x3)
Do the D.A.N.C.E.
Stick to the B.E.A.T.
Just easy as A.B.C.
Do the DANCE
Do the DANCE
The way you move is a mystery
Do the DANCE
You're always there for music and me
Do the DANCE
The way you move is a mystery
Do the DANCE
You're always there for music and me
Do the D.A.N.C.E.
1 2 3 4 fight
Stick to the B.E.A.T.
Get ready to ignite
You were such a P.Y.T.
Catching all the lights
Just easy as A.B.C.
That's how you make it right
Do the DANCE (do the dance)
The way you move is a mystery
Do the DANCE (do the dance)
You're always there for music and me
Do the DANCE
The way you move is a mystery
Do the DANCE
You're always there for music and me
Under the spotlights
Neither black nor white
It doesn't matter
Do the DANCE (do the dance)
As strong as you might
Working day and night
Whatever happens
Do the DANCE (do the dance)
Under the spotlights
Neither black nor white
It doesn't matter
Do the DANCE (do the dance)
As strong as you might
Working day and night
Whatever happens
Do the DANCE
Do the DANCE
The way you move is a mystery
Do the DANCE
You're always there for music and me
The way you move is a mystery
You're always there for music and me
08 Tthhee Ppaarrttyy ()
Let me tell you what I do when my day is over.
After picking the right clothes for about an hour.
Oooh, I'm turning orange from all the carats around my neck.
Tonight, I'm takin' out the bling and I'm dressed to impress.
I'm gettin' ready for my night out on the town.
I'm lookin' hot cuz you know we are holdin' it down.
Rockin' high-tops and sayin' no to stilettos.
'Cause I might get drunk off my ass and I don't wanna fall.
Out on the streets all the taxis are showin' me love.
'Cause I'm shinin' like a princess, in the middle of thugs.
And at the clubs, the bouncers recognize my face.
So while your waiting in the line, we just enter the place.
Let's get this party started right,
Let's get drunk and freaky fly,
You with me so it's alright,
We gonna stay up the whole night.
Let's get this party started right,
Let's get drunk and freaky fly (ey-ey-ey-ey-ey-ey-ey-eyyyy)
I'm callin' all my ladies at the table of 3.
Throwin' back a couple bottles and the tabs on me.
I been waitin' to Get crazzzy.
Table dancin', smashin' glasses, its nice to get naughty.
Now we all ready to head out of the VIP.
I'm lookin' good and I can feel that all eyes are on me.
It's time to show 'em how we do on the floor.
So while my DJ play the track I want my girls on the floor.
Now you know I made an anthem for all my hot chicks.
And I ain't about how we girls are raisin' your dicks.
I got the surround sound so why ya wanna see me fall?
I'm just tryin' to have a blast and I ain't takin' your call.
Let's get this party started right,
Let's get drunk and freaky fly,
You with me so it's alright,
We gonna stay up the whole night.
Let's get this party started right,
Let's get drunk and freaky fly (ey-ey-ey-ey-ey-ey-ey-eyyyy)
You and me, c'mon lets take it to the next level.
Let's all go to the hotel pool as we finish the bottle.
Maybe kiss and don't tell, it's the rule around here.
You must have put me under a spell I lose control when your near.
Let's get this party started right,
Let's Get drunk and freaky fly,
You with me so its alright,
We gonna stay up the whole night.
Let's get this party started right,
Let's get drunk and freaky fly (ey-ey-ey-ey-ey-ey-ey-eyyyy)
09 DVNO ()
It's always the same
always ashamed story telling
when I can't come in
???
one more time ???
I swear I mean no offense
but you gotta learn to live
it's all about membership
Hey
for young and old
ugly girls and boys
i put you on my lips to make
you clap to this [???]
mayhem
i just need a bit of thrill
only one can win
and as soon as you say it definitely
D V N O
Four capital letters
printed in gold
'cause details make the girls sweat
even more
while they're shaking their belts
no need to ask my name
to figure out how cool I am
Can anyone read, anyone feel
That I'm losing my patience
I just came here to bounce
Ladies are all waxed, they all know I'm coming
I'm losing my patience
I just came here to bounce
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