Editor Vivian Host clues us in on why the Parisian duo that’s heading the new French house movement (and is famous for DJing dressed as M&M’s) tops XLR8R‘s annual Best of the Year list.

For bringing heavy distortion to the disco via “Waters of Nazareth,” a glitchy electro anthem of biblical proportions. For backing this track with the squalling, pumping, start-stopping, unforgettable “Let There Be Light” on the flip, then veering left and asking ghetto-house iconoclast DJ Funk to bounce his ass all over the remix. For whipping vocals from Simian into the hand-raising, hairraising peace-and-loveism of “Never Be Alone Again,” created in 2004 but still banging (and licensed to EMI) in the ’06. For mashing together Modeselektor, Inner City, The Prodigy, and Mr. Oizo in their unpredictable DJ sets, thus turning ordinary dancefloors into mosh pits of positivity. For leading the charge of second-wave French house madness while always repping their crew, the mighty Ed Banger Records massive. For having fun at all costs, and DJing dressed as M&M’s. For cleverly making mincemeat of tracks by N.E.R.D. and Fatboy Slim, then promising something totally different for their forthcoming 2007 album. For one dance nation, indivisible, with liberty and Justice for all.

Vivian Host

The Best of 2006 by Justice’s Xavier De Rosnay & Gaspard Augé

Best Artist:Fancy
People used to say this French rock band is a blend between The Ramones and The Jackson 5 because of the singer’s haircut. We’ll just say it was our best live rock experience ever.

Worst Artist:None
Instead of talking about artists nobody cares about, we’d like to celebrate the best DJ of 2006, our labelmate Feadz. We usually don’t like DJs, but he’s one of a kind.

Best Album: Jackson and his Computer Band Smash (Warp)
Romantic computer music… exactly how it should be.

Worst Album: None
Man, I am afraid we didn’t buy albums this year, except the one above.

Best Single/12”: Kavinsky “Testarossa Autodrive” (Record Makers)
Heroic music that sounds like the theme from Knight Rider or any B-movie fiction featuring a motorized hero.

Best Record Label: Ed Banger
Are we allowed to answer our own label?

Best Live Event/Festival: Pukkelpop Festival in Belgium
One of the best moments of our summer tour.

Best Club or Venue: Trash at The End, London
Look out for the tissue guy.

Best Music Trend: Return of the filtered disco
I can feel it.

Worst Music Trend: Return of the filtered disco

Most anticipated album of 2007: DFA1979’s new album
…that they will never do, ’cause they split last year.

Best Music Hardware:
Few hardware things we use are newer than 1979.

Best Music Software: Apple GarageBand
We used this a lot for making the album. This is just amazing–digital music for everybody.

Electronic gadget you can’t live without: Milton Bradley’s Pocket Simon

Best visual artist: So-Me
Thank god he’s doing all the visual stuff for Justice.

Best art exhibit of 2006: The exhibition by Zongamin’s Suzumu Mukai and Will Sweeney at Colette, Paris.

Best t-shirt line: We only wear t-shirts when our real shirts are in the laundry.

Best clothing label: Revolver, Reebok, and Citizen watches.

Best style trend: We don’t know, but we’d love to not see multi-colored glossy sneakers again, please.

Worst style trend: There are no bad styles, just bad people.

Best media item: The Looping DVD by French illustrators Mrzyket Moriceau
It wasn’t made in 2006, but we love it. It’s a long sequence of drawing/morphing loops by the guys who did the video for Air’s “Don’t Be Light.” Druggy. Oh, and also Lost–we got completely brainwashed by this soap.

More of XLR8R’s Best of 2006:
Best Artists

Best Albums

Best Record Labels

Best Visual Artists