090611

What's It Called?

Justice - Audio, Video, Disco (Dailymotion video link)

What's The Story?

Justice are the heirs apparent to Daft Punk, or at least another spin at the same great format. They're a French electronic duo whose first album, †, was an absolute smash full of great anthems. Audio, Video, Disco is the name of their upcoming sophomore album due out October 25th, and this was the second single released from it.

Who's To Blame?

That little alien with all the viral links and pictures of cats.

Why ♥ It?

Justice were quoted recently as describing their new album as "a progressive rock record, played by guys that don’t know how to play".

...Sure.

Actually, this song seems to be one of the ones that they were referring to. The high pitched synth and strings sounds layered throughout echo something you might catch in the background of a Spock's Beard or Flower Kings song. The title (and only lyric) is repeated and processed sort of like a Yes track.

But don't let that discourage the hopes of electronic gold. Though layered, the percussion and beat echo of other Justice-style songs. Further to that, the droning piano is something that can be heard in other Justice tunes, as well as in contemporaries (Bloody Beetroots, etc.)

It's not the absolute banger I'm awaiting from the new Justice album, but not every song can be DVNO. Audio, Video, Disco is a solid (if varied) addition to an electronic library and has a good catchy factor, to boot.

071910

What's It Called?

The Bloody Beetroots - Butter

What's The Story?

The Bloody Beetroots are a fun and ridiculous Italian electronic duo. They have one studio album, Romborama, released in 2009. Butter is the 9th of an impressive 22 tracks on the album.

Who's To Blame?

A professional chemical engineer currently working with troubled youth.

Why ♥ it?

Fans of Justice will probably appreciate mostly anything by The Bloody Beetroots, so I'll start there. I get a sense of the song Newjack from this--not necessarily because it's catchy in the same way (it's not), but some of the layers are similar in nature. However, one thing that the song has that Newjack doesn't is a pronounced use of the lowest, filthiest notes that can come out of a piano, and it really gives it voice. Although it's often somewhat of a backing vocal to the synthy lead line, there are sections where that piano demands serious attention.

I frequently listen to electronic music while doing repetitive things like studying or jogging, but this track in particular doesn't allow that. There are two or three main refrains, but the duo keep it fresh with novel sounds and movements that really fly almost against the grain of the rhythm section. Again, that dissonance is something I'd quantify as a Justice thing to do, simply because more people are familiar with them than with The Bloody Beetroots.

One thing that I've noticed about many fans of electronic music (myself included) is that they'll readily describe a beat as dirty or some synonym thereof, but if you ask them to quantify it, it's kind of a difficult thing. As fans, we all more or less know what it means, but it's so difficult to describe. One thing I will say, though, is that the low piano-led parts that pop up at around 2:00 & 4:00 of the song are perhaps the best single exemplification of what I mean when I say that a beat gets dirty*.

*Not to be confused with a Dirrty beat, which is just silly mind candy.