Unusual mash-ups, such as the disco vamps and grueling techno of their 2007 single 'Stress', have been integral to Justice's music since the beginning, but Hyperdramadigital/analog hybrids—like Daft Punk's Random access memories, or, indeed, a shiny, futuristic vape pen – take slimmer forms. On 'Generator', the duo offset the apocalyptic stabs of 'Mentasm' and pump out the piano chords with heavy bass, as if flickering between Fantazia and Studio 54. It's a novel juxtaposition and deftly executed, though something about “Hello! You have chocolate in my peanut butter!The setup is slightly too clever, more suited to the mood of a creative director than the clutter of an actual track.
“Afterimage” performs a similar bait-and-switch, balancing doomy techno synths with guest vocalist Rimon's rousing burst of ecstatic sighs, but the contrast isn't provocative enough to save the song's expression of bliss from being overheard general. It doesn't help that most of the guest vocalists Justice employs here—Parker, Rimon, Miguel, Thundercat and Manchester electro-pop duo the Flints—opt for a similar falsetto range, making them all sound interchangeable. The clash of totems is most interesting in “Moonlight Rendez-Vous,” a two-minute sketch that poses an unusual thought experiment: What if Wham's 'Careless Whispers' had been recorded in Vangelis' style Blade Runner soundtrack?
The best tracks on the album are the most daring: the unbridled joy of “Dear Alan”, a veritable display of arching fireworks and halo effects; the over-the-top prog-disco fusion of “Incognito”, which builds to a distorted climax reminiscent of Justice's rebellious early hijinks, now rendered in state-of-the-art hi-def. But too many of them are just too smooth – mid-paced, curiously risk-averse. Nine songs into a 13-track run, “Explorer” sinks into a quagmire the Phantom of the Opera synths? “Muscle Memory,” which follows, could have been a chance to show off their analog chops, but instead it feels like Stranger Things retread—a set of synthetic waves that has been done many times before.
Justice does not call the guest performers their features. Instead, singers are credited with “lead” roles. A small detail, perhaps, but one that speaks to the twin's goals. Like Daft Punk, they've always understood the power of a strong visual, and these headliners suggest they think Hyperdrama in terms of entertainment—if not a movie, then a festival slot. At Coachella this month, the duo stood still and let the show light do most of the work while Kevin Parker's disembodied voice rolled into a crescendoing approach to the kind of techno heard only fleetingly inside. Hyperdramathey are carefully maintained spaces.
