Song of the Day

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October 12, 2023

Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul: “Making Sense Stop” (ACL Fest Pop-Up)

By: Jack Anderson

The primal temptation of a basic beat coupled with the hypnotic power of repetition; that’s how electronic music entices all types of listeners. When an instrumental groove grabs you and won’t let go, layers-deep social commentary (whether or not you agree) might not get fully processed…at least while the bass is still bumpin’. We wouldn’t go so far as to call it intentionally deceptive, but we do feel like that dynamic makes dance especially attractive to dissenting poets who could use some pulse appeal and producers on the prowl for honest opinions. People like Belgium’s Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul. They’ve both got their own oblique auras that allowed them to slip into Soulwax’s purview, but once they teamed up they doubled down on the discourse. As heard on their debut LP Topical Dancer, Charlotte & Bolis are actually pretty brilliant when it comes to making poignant observations sound chic and fun. And after bringing that baker’s dozen to ACL Fest and turning the Tito’s Handmade Vodka Stage into a Topical Dancefloor, Charlotte & Bolis proved that they don’t need a big space to make heads bob. Like Tom Tom Club strutted into a time machine, set course for 2023, and stepped out adorned in avant-pop, Charlotte & Bolis brought the boisterous bass, infectious bleeps and bloops, vocal chops and all to the KUTX tent with “Making Sense Stop”. And thanks to our immaculate multi-media team, you can witness it first-hand in this exclusive NPR Music video.

Episodes

May 5, 2024

Jana Mila: “Somebody New”

In an environment as dense and competitive as Americana, a unique set of lens can really help you stand out. But if that habitat appears even remotely unnatural to others, every little bit of local color improves your odds of surviving in the long run. Meet Jana Mila. Mila’s Amsterdam upbringing was spent in the […]

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May 2, 2024

Mikky & The Doom: “Garbage, USA”

In most situations, if you got it, flaunt it. But in an industry that demands infinitely more from your ears than from your eyes, if the hottest person on the planet doesn’t have the pipes to match their looks, they probably don’t have a shot at succeeding as a singer. So let’s talk newcomer Mikky […]

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May 2, 2024

Henry the Archer: “ViolinT”

If this late Spring’s got your spirits shook up and you’re looking for some renewed motivation to tend to your garden (be it literal or figurative), we’ve got a DFW act that’ll make you go hard in the yard. And that’s on behalf of singer-guitarist-keyboardist R. Hennessy, AKA “Henry O”, who’s been hitting the mark […]

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May 1, 2024

Emily Shirley: “Morning Light”

It’s the classic end to an encounter. You meet someone new. Sparks seemingly fly. You have fun for a night. But when you wake up ready to tell your new boo you’d like to see ’em again…they’re long gone. Hell, and in the modern era, that might all happen on just on an app alone. […]

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April 30, 2024

Grandmaster: “Castle Door”

Watch out, Golden Dawn Arkestra…there’s a new costumed collective in town, and they’re hunting for for fresh converts! But instead of frenetic Afro-inspired dance grooves, these fanatics have so far stuck to the slower side of ’70s-style jazz funk rock; think War whisked together with Steely Dan. Not that you’d be able to tell from […]

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April 29, 2024

Trip Cigs: “Comeback Kid”

When a seasoned musician wades out of their genre comfort zone, you love to hear it. Because the technical expertise, jam stamina, and songwriting skills are already in place, but opening the gate to different inspirations and influences is always a welcome breath of fresh air. So let’s talk Rod Gator, who – as you […]

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April 24, 2024

Viben: “Pablo Picasso”

Lyrics are a fickle field. You can be wordy as hell, hoping that at least one line sticks in listener’s minds. Or, you could just loop the hell out of some barebones sentences – guaranteed to have a lot more hypnotic staying power through sheer repetition, especially in the realm of dance music. Now let’s […]

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April 24, 2024

Rett Smith: “Sunsets”

In terms of musical association, at least outside the world of film soundtracks, U.S. southwestern scenery often gets associated with country. But there’s a certain psychedelic quality to our regional deserts that we just love to see artists embrace. Folks like Rett Smith, based here in Austin, but bred out of West Texas, so you […]

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