By Odeisel

When you think of the greatest songs of all time, you think of the words and what they meant to you at that time of your life. French Electro duo Justice could give a fuck about that notion. Their mission is to get you off you seat and be moved by the beat. Their latest work, Audio Video Disco is packed with action, light on lyrics (as in not many songs with actual words) and a retro feel that any 80s baby would instantly recognize.

The album commences with aptly-named “Horsepower” which opens with plenty of air and rock hard drums built for a stadium, levels out into the soundtrack of a helicopter chase straight out of “Miami Vice” or the “A-Team.” It manages grit and gloss with its marriage of analog and digital. By the end, where it returns to stadium rock you’ll be telling Hannibal you ain’t getting on no plane.

“Civilization” adds words but doesn’t take its foot off the gas. Mentions of the unseeing eye and an unforgiving God rest beneath a post disco cloud cover. RZA like repetition and muffled, dense drums push “Ohio” into special territory. Aside. From the refrain there are no lyrics to carry this songs but think Wu-Tang meets the Bee Gees. Intrigued? You should be. Then three quarters in there is a funky, distorted bass with flashes of synth begging for a verse from Ghostface Killah. Strange, but knock worthy.

“Canon (Primo)” gives an initial Reaissance fair melody before leading into the hard-charging aerated guitar of “Canon.” There is a repetitive looped feel that is alleviated with thwe advent of atmospherics and pace changes and sonic vascillation between the left and right speakers. High pitched vocals bring the album back to hard 80s rock on “On ‘N On.” Hard kick drums and high hats alternate between aggression and serenity, respectively. It’s almost as if the vocals are there just for pace and another instrument but it goes hard. Somewhere near the end it escalates and what sounds like a mini-Moog combines with vocal increasing scales for a delightful crescendo that gets the bottom subtly yanked from beneath it, only to end up sprinting to the end of he song.

That pace is maintained by “Brianvision” which hones in on the electric guitar and bassline rather than synthy aspect of Justice’s musicality. The duo rock you just until you get comfortable, then they ad and remove elements and force you to pay attention again. “Parade” flaunts a Queen-like boom clap along with asmoldering electric guitar. While not as immense as a Freddie Mercury construction, it is possessed of that same daring. There is a subtle phone ring that will have you checking your phone but the expansive aural landscape created by so many disparate elements is, at the very least something that will keep the attention of music lovers.

“Newlands” bring back the words and the 80’s rock. The melody is new but familiar, with guitars running interference for keyboards (very Hall and Oates) and hard drums doing some heavy lifting. The guitar roars and then stops abruptly on the hook but returns in a cat and mouse game with the drums until they both run out of breath. It gets a bit Brit on “Helix”, with its varying synth elements. The rousing finish features the title track. While not as daring as other parts of the album, the track has that 80’s nostalgia working for it.

Justice has created a time capsule to the last original decade and manage to meld cool and corny with deft facility. It’s light on words and heavy on groove. If you loved the 80’s or just don’t like sitting still, Audio Video Disco is the album for you.

2.75 out of 5

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