Longtime collaborators
Charlotte Adigery and
Bolis Pupul are co-billed for the first time on
Topical Dancer, their debut album, which was additionally co-produced by the Dewaele brothers, of
Soulwax and
2 Many DJs fame. The duo's previous releases, including the 2019 EP
Zandoli and a meditation tape, reflected both artists' experiences as people of color living in Europe --
Adigery is a French-born descendant of immigrants from Martinique and Guadeloupe, and
Pupul is part Chinese. On
Topical Dancer, the duo aim to dismantle racism, xenophobia, and sexism with biting, witty lyrics commenting on life in a society built on colonialism, particularly poking fun at awkward social interactions with people who can't see past cultural differences. "Esperanto" seeks to correct clueless people who think they mean well, and "Blenda" responds to an ignorant command to go back to one's home country with the question "Siri, can you tell me where I belong?" Shifting to more personal narratives, "It Hit Me" frames eureka moments from the pair's formative years, and on the brutally funny "Thank You,"
Adigery cheerily agrees with her harshest critics ("Yes I prefer my first EP too!") before admitting how satisfying it is to be so snarky ("You can't tell me anything when I'm on my throne"). "Ceci n'est pas un cliche" recycles overused lyrical tropes in a musical equivalent of the way the other songs twist stereotypes, and "HAHA" is a culmination of the absurdity of it all, with
Adigery erupting into rhythmically manipulated laughter, only offering "Guess you had to be there" as an explanation. Not only are the lyrics sharply focused, but these are also the catchiest and most danceable songs
Adigery and
Pupul have written to date, whether they take the form of pounding techno or funky new wave pop. The words offer a lot of food for thought, but the music and arrangements are every bit as remarkable. ~ Paul Simpson
