Topical Dancer
It’s not easy to dance with one’s tongue buried deeply in cheek. But Charlotte Adigéry and Bolis Pupul effortlessly combine lean, punchy electro-pop with an unapologetically sarcastic sense of humor. On the Belgian duo’s debut album, *Topical Dancer*, the two musicians draw on their multicultural backgrounds to take sly potshots at racism, sexism, and self-doubt. On “Esperanto,” Adigéry riffs on microaggressions over plunging electric bass, and on “Blenda,” she marries a crisp, funky groove with a surprisingly vulnerable chorus: “Go back to your country where you belong/Siri, can you tell me where I belong?” Co-produced by their longtime collaborators Soulwax, the album slices neatly across the overlap between punky disco, indie dance, and underground house; ’80s avant-pop influences (Art of Noise, Talking Heads) brush up against the sing-speaking wit of contemporaries like Marie Davidson and Dry Cleaning. Some of the album’s most powerful moments transcend language entirely: On “Haha,” Adigéry’s laughter is chopped up and dribbled over an EBM-inspired beat, making for a slow-motion floor-filler that’s as surreal as it is captivating.
The Belgian duo’s debut album pairs punchy, propulsive electro pop with inventive sound design, absurdist wit, and sly jabs at racism and xenophobia.
The pals and collaborators contrast colourful dance-pop melodies with wickedly sharp and biting takedowns of misogynist media
Across the record, to-the-point statements are matched impeccably in both intensity and tone by club-ready beats.
Longtime collaborators Charlotte Adigéry 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.
Charlotte Adigéry and Bolis Pupul explore their mutual mixed heritage on their first release as an official duo and prove themselves a force to be reckoned with.
The Belgian duo’s debut album is a banging fusion of funk, house and techno that makes up for in mischievous energy what it lacks in subtle wit