French electro-pop duo Justice has returned after a four year hiatus — five years, if you exclude their last album of live performances — with a new yet familiar sound on “Woman.” The composition of each song lends a new air to the band’s quintessential style of electronic dance pop. The album has newfound maturity and intensity that did not seem to be present in previous releases.
Each song is expertly layered and stands strongly on its own in lieu of a cohesive transitional experience from one track to the next. In spite of this disconnect between songs, the album reads as a series of hits with chunky rhythms and exciting bass lines that fans of all genres can appreciate.
“Woman” is an album with genuine mass appeal stemming from the sheer variety of stylistic choices Gaspard Augé and Xavier de Rosnay made, and pushes the boundaries of what even the most loyal Justice fans expected. Justice has a welcomed departure from the tried-and-true melodic vocals and snappy disco beats, which characterized their previous hits such as their undying breakaway hit “D.A.N.C.E.” off of their 2007 album “Cross.” That tune can be found at nearly every party even nine years after its release.
Although each song on “Woman” is undeniably distinct, “Safe and Sound,” “Pleasure” and “Heavy Metal” are three standouts that showcase Justice’s versatility and their close refinement of musical layers not apparent on tracks from previous albums.
The album opens with “Safe and Sound,” a funky, rhythmic track more reminiscent of the band’s older albums. The clear, resounding vocals overlaid with vibrant techno glissades subvert the purity of the vocals, but balance each other extremely well. Just as this song ends, “Pleasure” immediately cuts in with the same impassioned style of vocals, while pulling back from the aggressive, quick pace with a melodic synth solo and steady, grounding bass riff.
By contrast, “Heavy Metal” is a sharp departure from Justice’s classic peppy dance beats. Characterized by intense, rapid pace and medieval melody, “Heavy Metal” is a pointedly angrier and much more aggressive sound than other songs on both this and previous albums. Yet, the steady, thumping bass and the delicate, wispy, electric timbre of the synth melody woven through the song adds a lighthearted, danceable air — showing the duo hasn’t abandoned all of the techniques responsible for shooting them to greatness.
Overall, “Woman” is a delicately crafted, versatile album which showcases exactly what Justice is capable of and alludes to the incredible hits the future could hold.
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