Audio, Video, Disco

Synopsis

In their first half-decade of existence, the great paradox of the French duo known as Justice is that they have always been familiar, and yet you can’t quite pin them down. No one could advocate for their debut full-length without mentioning Daft Punk, but the unique Justice voice was there in the mix too, becoming more obvious with each return visit. Four years later, its follow-up comes with the same appeal as prog rock, pop-metal, and that big drum thunk of the ‘80s, which are all touchstones for the overall sound. Still, the heart of the album comes from the duo’s increasingly good songs and performance touches that are identifiably Augé and de Rosnay, as dreamy vocals echo underneath crisp percussion and very Euro-styled synths. Guitars plays a bigger role than ever as “Brianvision” comes with some Phil Manzanera-style riffage, while “New Lands” brings reminders of the Cars in all their new wave glory. Just so the dancefloors don’t go hungry, the rhythmic thump is present on big singles like “Civilization”, the title track, and the great “Helix,” which sounds like Italo-disco going post-punk. With so many genres having heavy influences on this mash, Audio, Video, Disco might just be the quintessential example of pop music in the Internet world where everything is available, and available to shuffle, but the main point is good times, great record. ~ David Jeffries