Hyperdrama (album)

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Hyperdrama
A skeletal figure with glowing orange lines encircling it inside of a translucent shining cross
Studio album by
Justice
Released26 April 2024 (2024-04-26)
Genre
Length49:12
Label
ProducerJustice
Justice chronology
Woman Worldwide
(2018) 		Hyperdrama
(2024)
Singles from Hyperdrama
  1. "One Night/All Night" / "Generator"
    Released: 24 January 2024
  2. "Incognito"
    Released: 6 March 2024
  3. "Saturnine"
    Released: 20 March 2024
  4. "Neverender"
    Released: 26 April 2024[1]

Hyperdrama is the fourth studio album by French electronic music duo Justice, released on 26 April 2024 through Ed Banger Records and Because Music.[2] It is their first studio album in over seven years, following Woman (2016). The album was preceded by the singles "One Night/All Night" with Tame Impala, and "Generator", which were released together alongside its announcement,[3] followed by "Incognito" and later "Saturnine" with Miguel.

Hyperdrama received generally positive reviews. Some reviewers praised the album's ambition and catchy hooks, while others lamented the absence of the raw energy of their earlier work.

The duo will tour North America and Europe in support of the album from April to December 2024, beginning with a performance at Coachella.[4]

Background[edit]

The album title was first announced on 18 January 2024.[5] In a statement released with the official album announcement a week later, Justice said that "Disco/funk and electronic music at large have always been core elements of the music we make as Justice. In Hyperdrama, we make them coexist, but not in a peaceful way. We like this idea of making them fight a bit for attention." In regards to "One Night/All Night", they elaborated that it "oscillates between pure electronic music and pure disco but you never really get the two at the same time", and wanted it to sound like a "disco iteration of Kevin Parker".[6] On "Incognito", the duo said they "had to unlearn everything" they knew about song structures when they started work on the album, which, according to them, was "very refreshing".[7]

Critical reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic69/100[8]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[9]
The Arts Desk[10]
Exclaim!7/10[11]
The Independent6/10[12]
The Line of Best Fit6/10[13]
Mojo[14]
NME[15]
The Observer[16]
Pitchfork6.3/10[17]
The Skinny[18]
Sputnikmusic[19]

Hyperdrama received a score of 69 out of 100 on review aggregator Metacritic based on eight critics' reviews, which the website categorised as "generally favorable" reception.[8] Andy Cowan of Mojo stated that Hyperdrama "catches Xavier de Rosnay and Gaspard Augé hedging their bets between playing to their old strengths or going for the pop jugular. [The album] excels when they try to out-Justice themselves [...] Ultimately hit and miss, Justice's gift for arena-friendly hooks remains undimmed."[14] In a five-star review, Thomas Smith of NME called the album "a blockbuster release that meets the hype: flashy, over the top and keen to make a spectacle". He further emphasised that the album falls into "the type of release that the dance space – if you could even slot Justice in there – seldom sees".[15]

Rhys Morgan of The Skinny found the album to be reminiscent of Daft Punk's Human After All (2005). He went on to say that while some may find the opening ("Neverender") discordant with its dreamy soundscape followed by darker tones, the album ultimately finds its groove through a "watercolour of synthwave" and "pared back French house", culminating in a satisfying fusion.[18] Mason Oldridge of The Independent noted that Hyperdrama blends disco and funk with Justice's signature electronic sound. While he was favourable towards the Tame Impala collaboration "One Night/All Night", he was critical of the album's generally "lighter" sound compared to the group's previous releases like their debut album, which he said might disappoint fans who prefer their heavier beats.[12]

Reviewing the album for Pitchfork, Philip Sherburne called it "sleekly aerodynamic" and "expensively appointed" but remarked that "Justice have never sounded more polished" and "actual tension—the kind of friction that once made Justice's music feel so vital—is otherwise frustratingly hard to find".[17] Likewise, Ammar Kalia's mixed review for The Observer remarked that Justice "find themselves too polished and bright" on Hyperdrama and are "on less steady ground" during softer moments such as the track "One Night/All Night", where guest vocalist Kevin Parker's falsetto vocals are drowned out by the backing instrumentation.[16] Jason Heffler of EDM.com praised the album's direction, noting that Justice "transcend the simple pleasures of body music to speak to the tragedies, triumphs and bittersweet complexities that loom over the dancefloor's euphoric release" and "bleed candor and restless yearning without abandoning their roots."[20]

Track listing[edit]

Hyperdrama track listing
No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
1."Neverender" (with Tame Impala) 
4:26
2."Generator" 
  • Augé
  • de Rosnay
4:42
3."Afterimage" (with Rimon) 
  • Augé
  • de Rosnay
  • Rimon Bahere
4:05
4."One Night/All Night" (with Tame Impala)Kevin Parker
  • Augé
  • de Rosnay
  • Jorn C. J. Hanneman
  • Parker
4:36
5."Dear Alan" 
  • Augé
  • de Rosnay
  • Christopher James Harley
5:33
6."Incognito"  4:01
7."Mannequin Love" (with the Flints) 
  • Augé
  • de Rosnay
  • George Flint
  • Henry Flint
3:27
8."Moonlight Rendez-vous"  2:00
9."Explorer" (with Connan Mockasin) 
4:09
10."Muscle Memory"  4:10
11."Harpy Dream"  0:28
12."Saturnine" (with Miguel)Miguel Pimentel
  • Augé
  • de Rosnay
  • Pimentel
3:21
13."The End" (with Thundercat) 
4:14
Total length:49:12

Notes

  • "One Night/All Night" contains an interpolation of "Go With the Flow" composed by Jorn C. J. Hanneman.
  • "Dear Alan" contains a sample of "Dear Brian" by Chris Rainbow, written and composed by Christopher James Harley.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Justice's 'Hyperdrama' Is Well Worth The Wait". Cultr. 26 April 2024. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
  2. ^ Torres, Eric (24 January 2024). "Justice Announce Album, Share Video for New Song With Tame Impala: Watch". Pitchfork. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  3. ^ Kreps, Daniel (24 January 2024). "Justice Return With New Album Hyperdrama, Share Tame Impala-Featuring Single". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  4. ^ DeVille, Chris (24 January 2024). "Justice Share Tame Impala Collab "One Night/All Night" & "Generator": Listen". Stereogum. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  5. ^ Duran, Anagricel (18 January 2024). "Justice announce new album Hyperdrama". NME. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  6. ^ Geraghty, Hollie (24 January 2024). "Justice share two new singles featuring Tame Impala and details of new album Hyperdrama". NME. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  7. ^ Dunworth, Liberty (6 March 2024). "Listen to Justice's pulsing new single Incognito". NME. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  8. ^ a b "Hyperdrama by Justice Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  9. ^ Phares, Heather. "Hyperdrama - Justice". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
  10. ^ Green, Thomas H. "Album: Justice - Hyperdrama". The Arts Desk. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  11. ^ Pearson, Luke. "Justice Ditch the Clutter on 'Hyperdrama'". Exclaim!. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
  12. ^ a b Oldridge, Mason (24 April 2024). "Pet Shop Boys and Neil Young prove they have still got it with new album releases". The Independent. Archived from the original on 24 April 2024. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
  13. ^ Young, Matt. "Justice reckon with their place in the electronic Hyperdrama". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
  14. ^ a b Cowan, Andy (May 2024). "Mojo Magazine May 2024 – Page 86". Mojo. p. 86. Retrieved 22 April 2024 – via Internet Archive.
  15. ^ a b Smith, Thomas (23 April 2024). "Justice – Hyperdrama review: a blockbuster return from dominant dance duo". NME. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  16. ^ a b Kalia, Ammar (26 April 2024). "Justice: Hyperdrama review – an uncertain return to the dancefloor". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
  17. ^ a b Sherburne, Philip (26 April 2024). "Justice: Hyperdrama Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
  18. ^ a b Morgan, Rhys (23 April 2024). "Justice – Hyperdrama review: French duo bring the groove". The Skinny. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
  19. ^ Cite error: The named reference Sputnikmusic was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  20. ^ Heffler, Jason (26 April 2024). "Justice's New Album Hyperdrama Exposes the Soul Beneath the Synthesizers". EDM.com. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
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