Justice
Don't you dare cross them off your list of must buys!
Albums
8/10
Producer: Justice
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Genesis
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Let There be Light
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D.A.N.C.E.
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Newjack
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Phantom
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Phantom Pt 2
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Valentine
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Tthhee Ppaarrttyy
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DVNO
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Stress
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Waters of Nazareth
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One Minute to Midnight
Justice is an electronica duo originating from France, consisting of Gaspard Augé and Xavier de Rosnay. Although Justice had released the occasional single and had been remixing other bands’ music for many years, they first received widespread acclaim for their Justice VS Simian remix of We Are Your Friends, which won the best video award at MTV Europe Music Awards 2006.
A number of the tracks featured on Cross have already been released as either standalone singles or featured on their D.A.N.C.E. EP. However, for the majority of people, Cross would be the first time that they would have the Justice experience. The music is built around really filthy and downright messy bass work which pushes the bass capacities of your sound system to the maximum. For most bands this would allude to the album being overwrought with style over substance disorder, but no, not for Justice. What we have here is something which is becoming increasingly rare – a credible electronica album.
Genesis starts things off and it is a brutal beast which does its best to tear your head off. The introductory wartime drums and horns tell you something big is about to happen, but no one would suspect the undulating soundscape which subsequently follows. A great number of shifting sound effects weave in and out of this fabulous opening track. The majority of the album is instrumental and rarely experiments with vocals, but D.A.N.C.E. is an exception to the rule and features a UK choir… HEY, come back!! It actually sounds nothing like a choir and rather just a lone child singing, with their voice overdubbed. The entire song is a feel good anthem and a massive Michael Jackson tribute. It quotes and names numerous songs from both Jackson’s solo career and his work with the Jackson 5.
The middle section of the album revolves around the Phantom suite, which consists of two funkadelic bass and distortion laden treats. Phantom Pt 2 is probably my favourite of the two songs and features far more sonic experimentation and a soothing solo bass segment a little over a minute in.
DVNO is one of the singles to be released from the album, featuring vocals from Mehdi Pinson of Scenario Rock. Again, the vocals are a rare occurrence on Cross, and they make for a satisfying change in pace. DVNO is topped off by an exhilarating tempo which insists that you jump aboard for the ride of a lifetime. Stress and Waters of Nazareth are so good that I get giddy just thinking about them. Stress features some of the album’s most uncompromisingly dirty bass lines since the opening Genesis, while the latter takes a far more laid back approach to working its way into your subconscious. It seems that the best tracks bookend the album and this really creates a satisfying pace throughout. Justice really has their finger on the pulse with regards to how to arrange a tracklisting, so kudos to them.
One Minute to Midnight brings the album to an end. It is first and foremost built around a demanding bass groove which turns out to be most charismatic. It is a very heavy way to close the album and ensures that Cross goes out with as big a bang as possible.
When it comes down to it, it is hard to explain how Cross sounds, because technically speaking, each song is built the same way and plays by the same rules. It is almost impossible to put into writing what differentiates many of the songs from one another, but upon listening there is more than enough variety on offer to appeal to both electronica fans and general music fans.
I look forward to their next album!
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Justice
