Just Blue

The synthesized love child of fellow French musicians Cerrone and Jean-Michel Jarre, Space made their mark in 1977 with "Magic Fly" not long after Jarre blasted to worldwide acclaim with his own "Oxygene." With their classic combination of lush instrumentation and electro-tweak, Space looked set to dominate the Euro-disco wave. Two years on, however, the band was still trying to recapture that glory with the release of Just Blue, and occasionally coming very close. Star-crossed with moments that touch on the sounds of both Giorgio Moroder and Meco, Space managed to churn out some eminently enjoyable if not brilliant electro-pop. Cohesively stronger on the first side (but just as enjoyable on the flip), Just Blue opens powerfully with the title track, a light disco foray complete with vocal orchestration. The beginning of "Secret Dreams," meanwhile, wouldn't have been at all out of place on an early-'70s prog album. Of course the song takes its turn back onto the path of disco synth, but the twist is delicious nonetheless. And while the moody "Blue Tears" could be the late '70s equivalent of the modern raver's chillout music, Space refuses to let that pendulum still, ending the ride with the up-tempo, epochal groover "My Love Is Music." Space serves up a consistent platter, and while it may not be the best disco to hit the dancefloors, it still captures the essence of an all-night party. — Amy Hanson.