Cross (Justice album)

Cross (stylized as †; titled Justice on digital platforms[1]) is the debut studio album by French electronic music duo Justice, first released on 11 June 2007 through Ed Banger Records and Because Music.

[6] In 2012 it was awarded a diamond certification from the Independent Music Companies Association which indicated sales of at least 200,000 copies throughout Europe.

Xavier de Rosnay stated about the opera disco concept: We stuck to our original idea to make a 2007 opera-disco album, even if we are conscious that some tracks don't sound like proper disco at first listen.

[9] De Rosnay stated: We do sample really small bits of things that nobody can recognize.

"Waters of Nazareth" was the first single released by the group in 2005 and featured "Let There Be Light" as its B-side.

[13] A music video for the track "Stress", directed by Romain Gavras, was released on 1 May 2008 through the website of rapper Kanye West.

[17] It was subject to heavy criticism upon release and received a ban from French television due to its violent content.

It was created by So Me, the creative director of the album's publisher, Ed Banger Records, who said they attempted to "emulate the style [of Electric Warrior] ... the idea of an outline that fades into dots.

[20] Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone stated that "with loads of melodrama and not a moment of subtlety, Justice define the new-jacques swing.

"[29] Jess Harvell of Pitchfork called the album a "harsh and mostly instrumental set that nonetheless plays like the ideal crossover electronic-pop record", noting that "Justice knows how to sequence a dance album to avoid drag and boredom.

"[22] MSN Music critic Robert Christgau gave the album a rating indicating a "likable effort consumers attuned to its overriding aesthetic or individual vision may well enjoy,"[31] saying: "As dance music, not my idea of a good time, but as electronic pop, so much trickier, sillier and more kinetic than Kraftwerk.

[35] Rolling Stone ranked it at number 24 on their list of the 30 Greatest EDM Albums of All Time.

[37] In October 2020, EDM artist Zedd stated "if there was ever one album I would recommend combining production and musicality; it would be Justice's Cross.

Justice in 2007