Then, God said “Let there be light,” and there was light.
The opening of Justice’s first album, Cross directly corresponds to this quote from the holy bible. Heck, the first tracks even called Genesis. However, little did Xavier and Gaspard know, that they would have created one of the most forward centerpieces in the electronic music industry to date.
We Are Your Friends
Undoubtedly, their single We Are Your Friends is one of the most well-known and rounded electro tracks ever created, with its catchy lyricism and retro vibes. Xavier and Gaspard however, actually released this track as a remix to Simian’s song, Never Be Alone on International Gigalo Records a short time before it saw a release and record deal to the ever famous, Ed Banger Records.
It seemed like a full length LP was on the horizon for the budding French duo and surely enough, the time seemed to be right. Their first release on Ed Banger was Waters Of Nazareth, a gritty and unforgettable four and a half-minute ode to everything destructable and head-mashing.
Do The D.A.N.C.E.
Waters Of Nazareth was a success. DJs around the world praised the track with is brash electronic gesture and niche qualities compared to a lot of the music back then. They didn’t stop there however.
It’s now 2007 and Cross is being wrapped up, before being released for the entirety of the world to hear. Xavier and Gaspard however had decided to release another EP, to keep people tantalysed and eager before the release of their debut album. This marketing tactic paid off massively in the long run, making the track in hand a worldwide hit and achieving somewhat a ‘viral’ status, after being shared around the internet for its infectious beats and it’s equally hipster-like music video, produced by Ed Bangers very own, So Me.
D.A.N.C.E. is one of those tracks you can instantly associate with when thinking of the French touch genre. There’s just something so special about the Michael Jackson references and the choir-like background vocals that reside on the track, turning it into a modern-day masterpiece. It really was a legendary moment for Justice back then.
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The time had come finally for the rising stars. It’s safe to say that the time-period between the release of their debut album and at least 2010 was somewhat ‘legend’. Before then, they were a small time musical duo, producing some lowkey remixes and releasing some singles here and there. But now, they had hit the big time.
Their performance at Coachella in 2008 had really cemented their status as one of the most desirable electronic duos on the planet at that time. Incorporating their trademark stage setup with stacks on stacks of Marshall amplifiers and the Cross symbol in the middle of all the action. From there it was onwards and upwards for Xavier and Gaspard.
In our opinion, Cross continues to enlighten and captivate audiences to this day, consistently riding behind legendary albums in the electronic genre such as Daft Punk’s Homework and Digitalism’s Idealism. But it’s the overexaggerated basses and intricate sampling that really make it one of a kind.
Let’s hope Justice’s third album gets the mainstay it deserves.