ADIGERY, CHARLOTTE & BOLIS PUPUL

Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul’s brilliant sophomore album, Mainland Madinina, delivers a sharp, deeply moving, and undeniably groovy exploration of cultural roots, personal evolution, and societal absurdities. Following their critically acclaimed 2022 debut Topical Dancer, the Belgian electro-pop duo took their time to craft a follow-up that balances vulnerable introspection with their signature satirical bite. The album's title directly honors their lineages, referencing the Chinese mainland for Pupul and "Madinina" (the Indigenous Caribbean name for Martinique) for Adigéry. Written during a transformative period marked by newfound parenthood and the loss of Adigéry's mother, the record trades some of its predecessor's outward political skewering for a richer, more intimate dive into generational heritage and identity.

Co-produced alongside Soulwax’s Dewaele brothers in their signature sleek DEEWEE studio style, the musical foundation of Mainland Madinina is surprisingly organic, with many tracks conceived entirely on guitar before receiving their electronic coats. This melodic core shines through hyper-infectious standouts like "From Healer to Dealer," a sprawling, funky eight-and-a-half-minute masterpiece that hilariously dismantles the modern wellness and self-help industry through a spoken-word dispute over who is more toxic. Meanwhile, the glitchy, playful single "Googoo Gaga" channels the chaotic, overwhelming reality of early parenthood into an absolute club weapon. Ultimately, the duo succeeds in making heavy emotional themes feel incredibly light and danceable, proving that intellectual depth and infectious electronic pop can coexist beautifully.