It’s nothing to say that this new album from the French electro duo Justice – their fourth in almost twenty years – was eagerly awaited. Gaspard Augé and Xavier de Rosnay took eight years to give a successor to the acclaimed Woman. In the meantime, Daft Punk announced their separation, which makes them the next generation of French electro cut out for the whole world. The two friends lack neither inspiration nor know-how.
Hyperdrama is a solid and extremely well put together album. But we also feel the group at a crossroads, between its desire for innovation and its need to be part of a heritage. Very well played and well produced, the record is constantly torn between these two poles. Melancholic beach climates like Generator, with its cascade of strings, are among the most successful. But we cannot blame these gifted people for wanting to establish a synthesis of twenty years of research. DJs, producers, musicians, Augé and Rosnay have accumulated enough experience to create a record with welcome eclecticism. There is something here for everyone. The presence of choice guests contributes to this feeling of richness, since we find both Miguel and Thundercat, two emblematic figures of American Rnb and the voice of the Australian Kevin Parker, mastermind of Tame Impala, one of the greatest current hit authors. On arrival, a paradoxical success.
Recorded after the group’s second album, this concert contributed greatly to the excellent reputation of these Bristol trip hop pioneers. Since their appearance in 1994, Beth Gibbons, Geoff Barrow, Adrian Utley
In New York, playing with a real orchestra, Portishead was realizing a dream. Each of the tracks on this live album is weightless. The interpretation of Beth Gibbons, whose new solo album we are impatiently awaiting, is breathtaking. The only reservation that can be made about this recording is the presence of the scratch. Innovative and modern 30 years ago, this process has become completely ridiculous today. This dates the music horribly. Fortunately, this does not spoil the pleasure that one can take in listening to a group at its peak.