If you haven't already guessed from out notable absence over the last few weeks (after an intense easter break of posting), me and Chris are faced with our final exam period this year so our attention has been somewhat divided recently. However, that's not to say we have always had our nose in 800-plus page books. Not only have we maintained our unrelenting attitude to looking for new music, we've also kept the weekends for ourselves and have experienced plenty of the weird and the wonderful over this festive period. Reviews and other things will be up shortly, but for now I'll leave you with my April chart to mull over.

1. Ultra Nate - Free (Ramon Tapia & Kabale Und Liebe Remix)


2. WhoMadeWho - Every Minute Alone (Seth Troxler & Tale of Us Dub Edit)


3. SebastiAn - Embody


4. Justice - Civilization


5. Tale of Us - Dark Song


6. Subb-Ann - What I do


7. Julio Bashmore - Ribble to Amazon


8. Gesaffelstein - Aufstand


9. Francesco Tristano - Idiosynkrasia (Tom Taylor & Paul Woolford Remix)


10. Seelenluft - Manila (Ewan Pearson Remix)

Justice - Civilization



Guess who's back? Yep, Justice have finally emerged from the shadows and are causing plenty of excitement with their forthcoming single, Civilization. Adidas had the right idea, using a video directed by Roman Gavras, soundtracked by Civilization in their latest advertising campaign. Of course, when word spread that the track featured in the ad was Justice, it was only a matter of time before we were all desperate to find out more. So far we can't answer many of the questions, as we're still asking several ourselves, but apart from confirming the imminent official release of Civilization on Ed Banger Records/Because Records (although you probably already all know this), we can make some fairly educated predictions regarding some of the other rumours. For starters, this probably does mean they have either completed, or are working on, a new album. Considering it's four years since ✝ and they haven't really been working on anything else (Club 75 doesn't count, neither does Gaspard's contribution on the Rubber soundtrack), it's highly unlikely that this completely new, 100% Justice production is a one-off. They will most likely join label mate SebastiAn in releasing a full-length later this year. That brings me to my next prediction of sorts: 'later this year' really is as ambiguous as it suggests. I would advise anyone who hears of any 'release date' to be very wary. Ed Banger releases are about as punctual as British Airways flights when it's snowing, so I certainly won't be penciling any dates in my diary this year, or ever again for that matter after the three-year Uffie saga, and other unmentionables. But on a more positive note, this does mark the beginning of what promises to be a very exciting year for Ed Banger Records, which is nothing other than fantastic news. First SebastiAn's long awaited LP was given the green light, and now the return of Justice. Only a new Mr. Oizo album could possibly top that... Who knows!?

Whilst I was very tempted to title this post 'Justice Return', I feared that such a title might lead to disappoint on the realisation that no new material had been produced by the duo, only a special Halloween mix for a French radio station.

I hope I have avoided any such disappointment as this mix is simply Justice on top form.
Starting with some of the typical French House we have come to expect (and in a similar vein to their controversial Xmas Mix a couple of years ago), it develops into something slightly heavier with the likes of the Boys Noize and Soulwax remixes of Phantom Pt II.

Justice - In Extreme Mix


Thanks to El3ctronight.net for this.

Nothing short of an electro nuclear bomb, Valerna are once again out to destroy with more brutal remixing, this time with Clockwork's Airflow. Don't be fooled by the tame intro, in short it's a lethal rework.

Clockwork - Airflow (Valerna Remix)


Sir Bob Cornelius Rifo of the Bloody Beetroots has given Alan 1's Concertmate a lively disco injection, perfect for early dancefloor excitement.

Alan 1 - Concertmate (Bobermann Remix)


A bit late perhaps, but for those who don't already know, Mr. Oizo has a new film out. It's called Rubber, and basically is about a homicidal car tyre. It's complimented by a soundtrack from Quentin Dupiex himself and Gaspard from Justice. Tricycle Express, one of the OST's releases is just classic Justice, which is also hopefully a taste of things to come if a new Justice album is on the horizon.

Mr. Oizo & Gaspard Augé - Tricycle Express


Finally, some ravey acid techno from Dusty Kid.

Dusty Kid - The Cat

Whilst I don't arrive back to my trusty laptop in the northern hemisphere until the 1st, I've got a couple of days of free internet access and so thought of relieving myself of a few thoughts that have been bugging me lately.

In particular, it's about the use of sampling.

Now, sampling is an integral part of most modern music production. It's an art mastered through the genres of hip-hop to the deepest techno. I have no prejudice against the use of sampling, as up until recently all artists made extremely creative use of the original sample, taking it out from an obscure record or genre and looping/chopping/reversing/splitting and so recontextualising the sample into a whole new musical creation.

A prime example of this is no less than Dj Shadow's album Endtroducing, which is quite brilliantly made solely out of samples.

Now to understand where the current controversy over samples is coming from watch this:


Now this is the sort of creative procrastination that annoys me so much about modern day popular music. Just pure laziness on the artists behalf and a lust for success. My opinion anyway.

Now here are a few more tracks using samples. I think it's fairly clear what my opinion is on the matter but I'll leave them all for you to decide.



Obviously I have an infatuation with Justice, but that one's just to show another effective use of samples, and so that I can post some gratuitous Justice. Also the original song is quite a cool italo-disco tune.


This one brought a tear to my eye...



Fairly obvious where these two were sampled from. Serial offenders.