Pulsar

On Pulsar, L’Impératrice sound energised by movement. Their third album, released on 7 June 2024, is shaped by years spent crossing continents and stages, absorbing crowds in North America, Europe and beyond. It is also their first self-produced record, a subtle but meaningful shift that gives the band space to trust instinct over polish. The result is an album that leans into rhythm, emotion and momentum, guided less by concept than by feel.

What began in 2011 as a solo studio project for Charles de Boisseguin has long since evolved into a six-piece unit with a finely tuned internal chemistry. Since vocalist Flore Benguigui joined in 2015, L’Impératrice have learned how to balance groove with restraint, letting vocals sit inside the music rather than dominate it. That equilibrium feels fully realised here. Pulsar is direct, uptempo and physical, clearly shaped by the band’s desire to capture the raw energy of their live shows.

Language plays a fluid role across the album. Benguigui moves between French, English and Spanish without forcing the switch, choosing words by instinct rather than strategy. Writing in French allows her to cloak emotion in imagery, while English brings a more open, first-degree directness. Italian appears too, on “Danza Marilù”, sung by Fabiana Martone, its Italo-disco pulse landing naturally alongside the band’s sleek funk. Elsewhere, collaborations broaden the album’s emotional range: Maggie Rogers brings a dramatic calm to “Any Way”, while Erick The Architect sharpens “Sweet & Sublime” with a fast, buoyant verse that complements rather than disrupts the groove.

For a band often grouped alongside French electronic exports, Pulsar quietly resists spectacle. Instead, it focuses on connection, between bandmates, collaborators and listeners scattered across the world. Self-producing has not made L’Impératrice inward-looking; it has made them more open, more confident, and more comfortable letting the music lead. Guided by vibes, yes, but anchored by trust, Pulsar feels like a band fully in sync with itself.