Drenched in the glossy ooze of indulgent synths, illuminated by soft swooning vocals, "Woman" takes us on a retroactive trip through the Disco dance floors of old with an infatuated re-imagining of that era. French House duo Justice probably can't get by without mention of another French House duo, Daft Punk, who's influence can be heard boldly on the noisy crunching club tune "Chorus". Daft Punk are known for their inspirational roots in Disco & Funk music but in their long absences this pair fill the void with no imitation craft. Similar in stature and matching in talent, Justice go down the smooth and swooning path with a bright and colorful set of instruments, electronics and strings cruising over tight, rock steady softly thudding Dance beats.
With a backbone for the dance floor these songs play out with events, transformations and lucid progressions that may pass you by given their seamless chemistry. With a keen ear for strings many repetitions are brought to life with cinematic strings rumbling in with melodies like a lead guitar. The many layers of instruments interchange their focus to convert what could be simplistic, repetitive dance tunes into woven tapestries of symphonic dance night groove as one instrument takes the lead over from the next and the music continuously unravels before us in electronic wonder. The album has strength in variety and consistency tone, it flows like a river while taking us many places, some with hints of astral vibes as if gazing to the stars above.
With little to flaw one can only marvel at the balance of elements here. Bright, modern production breaths life into old sounds and ideas. Its romantic, elegant and nostalgic, the duos singing, velvety high pitched harmonies, are sublime. On the song "Randy" they sound very much like the vocal style of Kevin Parker from Tame Impala. This record grew slow on me, which I find rather strange in reflection. With each familiarity the bigger picture became clearer I guess and I get the sense it will continue to grow on me with time. "Woman" is a very sturdy record, I can only sing its praises.
Favorite Tracks: Chorus, Randy, Heavy Metal
Rating: 8/10