Justice - D.A.N.C.E.

APR 30 2007 · 12:00

Justice - D.A.N.C.E. (2007) Director: Jonas & François (Jonas Euvremer, François Rousselet) Era: Bloghouse & French Filter House Peak (2007) - The year French electronic duo Justice released their debut LP Cross on Ed Banger Records, catalyzing the bloghouse era and crossover of European electro into global pop consciousness. Exceptionally high. D.A.N.C.E. is one of the most formally inventive music videos of the 2000s, representing the peak of the Ed Banger Records aesthetic movement and the French electro wave's global breakthrough moment. Its on-body animation concept, Billboard ranking (#60 greatest MV of the 21st century), MTV EMA Video of the Year win, Grammy nomination for Best Short-Form Video, and enduring influence on music video production make it a Tier 1 preservation priority and a primary reference artifact for the bloghouse era. Context: Released in April 2007 as the second single from Justice's debut album Cross (Ed Banger / Because Music), D.A.N.C.E. arrived at a pivotal inflection point for electronic music's mainstream crossover. The track is a documented tribute to Michael Jackson, referencing multiple MJ and Jackson 5 songs in its lyrics, and was performed by the London-based Foundation for Young Musicians choir. The video's pop-art visual language and on-body animation became instantly iconic, circulating virally at the dawn of YouTube culture. The song and album helped usher in what Billboard describes as the 'bloghouse era,' which prefigured the broader EDM boom in America. Justice, signed to Ed Banger Records in Paris, were part of a French electro wave following Daft Punk and Air that redefined global dance music aesthetics in the mid-to-late 2000s. Director notes: The D.A.N.C.E. music video is shot in the style of pop art, featuring animation by French animator So Me. The concept places animated typography and graphics directly onto the performers' T-shirts, creating the illusion of living, animated garments against a predominantly monochromatic live-action background. The video was nominated for the 2007 MTV Video Music Award 'Video of the Year' and won the Video Star award at the MTV Europe Music Awards 2007. It is ranked #60 on Billboard's list of the Greatest Music Videos of the 21st century. The video is credited to Jonas & François, operating within the broader Ed Banger Records creative collective.