Justice are a French DJ duo who specialise in blurring that line between conventional rock music and electronica. They first came to prominence with their excellent debut album “+” in 2007. Four years in the making, “Audio Video Disco” is a complete turn around from what the duo have been known for on a sonic level. The fearlessness with which they have revinvented themselves on their second album and their exploring of new musical terrain is to be applauded.
Opening with the striking “Horsepower”, this is an album that, while not grabbing the listener immediately, instead endears itself to and grows on the listener. Often lazily compared to fellow DJ’s and Frenchmen Daft Punk, Justice, apart from a more organic infusion of rock and electronic elements in their music, posses a more visceral groove to them.
Sonically, this would be a fantastic album to hear on either headphones or nice and loud in a club somewhere with an absolutely cranking sound system. The bass and drums, especially, have an incredible pop to them and all but jump out at you from the speakers. “Audio Video Disco” recalls some great influences from Euro disco and rock from the 1970’s, such as Can, Neu! and particularly the work of Giorgio Moroder, one of the pioneers of modern electronic music who did truly groundbreaking work in that field in the 1970’s.
Some great guest vocalists feature on “Audio Video Disco”, such as Morgan Phalen from New York band Diamond Nights on the wonderful “On ‘n On” and “New Lands”,which features a very cheecky keyboard riff that references AC/DC’s “For Those About To Rock”, the duo’s rock influences and inspirations never being too far from the surface. Australia’s own Vincenzi Vendetta from Midnight Juggernauts on the fantastic “Ohio”.
For those interested in an electronic influence that illustrates where the genre is at at the moment, you could do a great deal worse than “Audio Video Disco”. This is a highly enjoyable and accomplished second effort from Justice.
– Neil Evans.
