It could be said that electronic musicians have a tendency to obsess over sonic detail in a way that your average garage rock band may find hard to understand. The young Parisian duo Justice (Gaspard Auge and Xavier de Rosnay), seem, for the most part, unfettered by niceties such as sonic subtlety or restraint. Combining French-touch house with large doses of heavy-metal hedonism, the group's debut, CROSS, privileges rock's devil-may-care mid-range thrash over electro's low-frequency thump.
The album, in classic rave style, is all about colossal riffs. Whether through its swirling synth sweeps or pile-driving funk loops, CROSS has an insistent, torqued, vaguely druggy quality that's resolutely unsubtle. If the album embraced such high-octane thrills for its entire length, it would surely have overstayed its welcome. But Justice manages to pull out a corker of a pop-crossover hit with "D.A.N.C.E.," the album's first single. Instantly hummable, with its Sesame Street style sing-along chorus, the song is an ebullient, slightly nostalgic nod to '80s electro-funk. Reminiscent of another album that ignited a youth culture revolution (Daft Punk's HOMEWORK), Justice seem intent on winning a new generation over with their head-banging house music.
Justice's monster beats, massive hooks, thunderous drums, and near-religious determination to demolish dance floors cast them in a light no contemporary can catch. The group's US debut single, "Waters Of Nazareth" arrived in 2006 and solidified their sound: huge slabs of beats, brutal strings, and cathartic release. That record sets the stage for this, their debut full-length, boasting the already ubiquitous disco pop anthem "D.A.N.C.E.", which features the best English children's choir since "Another Brick In The Wall Pt. 2".
Justice (French Duo): Gaspard Augé, Xavier De Rosnay.
Additional personnel: Uffie, Felix Zadek-Ewing, Harriet Syndercombe-Court, Francesca Levin, Aubrey Allegretti, Matthiew Cullen O'Keefe, Demitri Mitchell-Palmer, Dvno, David Christopher Ragusa (vocals).
Rolling Stone (p.91) - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "[T]he go straight for the jugular...'Genesis,' 'DVNO' and 'Waters of Nazareth' deliver thrills a la classic Eurotrash like Army of Lovers or Sheila and B. Devotion." The Wire (p.56) - "[Justice] have fast become clubland's favorite French duo since Daft Punk..."
Incredible New sound I have zillion electronica music and this is incredibly fresh, new sound that I've never heard before. It's like Daft Punk on steroids. I'm glad I bought this CD. Recording quality is totally amazing!! Submitted by junk (Norwalk CA) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo 1 of 1 found this helpful.
Loved it! This is definitely a very nice album in its genre.
Be aware that it is a tad on the heavy electronic side. It fits nicely into the french trend that began with Daft Punk and Mr. Oizo and is still going strong with Vitalic, Para-One and now Justice.
Submitted by Phil (Mtl, Canada) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
A must for house lovers Absolutley one of the best electronic/house duo's of recent...they are geniuses and demonstrate so on "Cross"...can get any party started trust me... Submitted by JP (Chicago, IL, USA) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
Brutal Nothing really good has come out of the "Nouvelle Touche" genre that was made popular by Daft Punk since the latter's 1997 magnum opus, "Homework." Now, exactly a decade after the launch of that most sublime album comes "Cross" by Paris eletro duo JUSTICE. Some might diminish the band as a Daft Punk wannabes, but the sad truth is that it's fresh--brutal electro sound with heavy guitar and thumping beats guaranteed to bust your Bose speakers.
BTW, the live act is also superlative. I wentr to the Montreal show on October 19 and it was SICK!!! Submitted by Patrick Meguid (Montreal, Canada) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
Incredible New sound
Loved it!
Brutal
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