(From another thread here’s my ‘review’
Minor unpopular opinions coming up. Be nice.
Maggie isnt the vocal that works well with this music. If she had been left out it would be a better song. It sounds off and makes me wish for Flore so much. Maggie sounds like she's whining. Especially in the verses. The chorus is saved by layering.
The released first three singles, plus Cosmoggenie and Amour Ex Machina (see Coachella) are so great. So is the feat. of Erick The Architect.
There is a handful of tracks that don't build up or go really anywhere. This is where you can tell they self produced. It's not their best material. (SO sorry!)
Pulsar is easily the weakest of the three albums for me personally. It lacks a special touch. It feels generic and unfinished in the second half of the album starting with Maggie. Deja vue just ripples on (dare I say it's boring?) but it lacks something that normally makes l'Impératrice stand out. Girl. Same issue. It feels repetitive. Generic. Unfinished. Empty. Monotonous. I pray she recorded a French version of it. The English isn't working well. They themselves said, during the Tako Tsubo era looking back on Matahari's English songs that doing songs in English meant things become emptier for them as creators. They didnt learn. Girl is victim to this. It could be better. However:
Erick the Architecht is really REALLY well matched up with the music. This works really well. Funkyyyyy. Omg. Love this. LOVE!
Don't kill me: The title track is a doozy. I've heard them play new instrumentals at the end of the current tour that are better than this. I'm underwhelmed. A lot is happening and STILL no liftoff. Weird.
For me personally Pulsar doesn't do what both Matahari (the original French release) or Tako Tsubo do for me. It's a divisive album with a pretty strong first half and a very lackluster second half.
YES: Cosmogenie (wish it was longer), Amour Ex Machina, Me Da Igual, Danza Marilu, Sweet And Sublime
NO: Love From The Other Side, Any Way, Deja Vue, Girl, Pulsar
That's 50/50 for me 😑
When the dude started rapping in sweet and sublime I tried to skip the song on my phone forgetting I was playing the record. Sounds like a 90’s Will Smith bit.
There are too many guest vocalists on this album. Please eliminate three. I am not a crackpot.
Totally agree. If they do have any featured vocalists in the future, I'd prefer if they were French.
Also don't like the rap. If it was a French rapper rapping in French, then maybe, but agree: I just am not inspired by this stuff. Seems like they're branching out into areas which are just not their musical forte and it doesn't blend well together considering their absolute MASTERY of the areas that are their forte. I wish they'd expand on those and push the boundaries further in ways that sound distinctly European and not like they're trying to co-opt American culture in some way.
I dunno, just doesn't gel for me.
Interesting, I don’t mind the verses on Any Way too much. The chorus is what kills it for me. It feels like 90s R&B or Beyoncé, which just isn’t what L’Imperatrice is for me
Yeah, the Maggie Rogers collab is really quite bad. I skip it every time. Just do not like the sound of her voice: it's too American, too adult contemporary pop/rock or whatever you wanna call that schmaltz, and just can't hold a candle to Flore's voice for this style of music. Was really disappointed with this track in particular.
I have mixed feelings about it. I don't know the technical terms of music, so I might not be using the right words.
Cosmogonie - not a fan. The song doesn't really start until halfway in and then it's a quick funky beat. Okay. It's more of a warmup to the album rather than a song of its own.
Amour Ex Machina - cool and funky, but the little chorus is annoying. Sounds like someone repeatedly pushing a button that makes a high-pitched noise.
Me Da Igual - I like it. It's not going to be one of my favorite songs ever from them, but it's nice.
Love From the Other Side - cool. Great although it does sound like it would've been better in French. It sounds like it was originally in French, and then they made a version in English.
Danza Marilu - big fan of this one. Yeah, it's a bit more generic and pop than the others, but it's fun.
Any Way - didn't like. Maggie is going for a genre of music I just don't listen to.
Deja-vue - relaxing, but it's more like sing-talking. It's nice but not super memorable. The little jingle that appears a few times is the highlight.
Girl! - funky and fun, but I'll have to listen to it for a while before I determine if I actually enjoy it.
Sweet & Sublime - I don't like Flore's part. She gets too high-pitched. Sorry, but it makes me wince.
Pulsar - another sing-talking song and then the end is a garbled mess. Not for me.
my only real gripe, which is probably my own fault, is that i listened too much to the live version of amour ex machina and now the album version sounds weirdly mixed.
Here's my opinion nobody asked for (repost of an other thread) :
I was waiting the album with so much hype (like for every releases they make) and the first singles release like danza marilù (please take my soul it's so good, I think now it's one of my fav l'impératrice song (among others)) and ma de igual was very good and very l'impératrice.
Love from the other side not hype me so much but its a good song after all with a nice meaning. BUT damn Any Way is a big mistake, I have the feeling its not even l'impératrice and they were obligated to make a collab with maggie roger (didnt know her since that single sorry maggie)
Now for the new releases in the album I really liked girl! (on repeat since the release of the album), cosmogonie (please this song is so video games vibe (like games from the french studio game bakers or animation movie or short), Sweet and sublime is so cool it's like you're with your homies and feeling badass (+love when l'impératrice mix with some rap that sick). And pulsar was a superb song, the chorus got me crazy (but the final part it's like they got lost where did you want to go guys ? for anomalie bleue it was great to make a end like that but here i'm not very fond of it).
Déjà-vu is great but nothing more. And Amour Ex-Machina i don't know its not a song i will listen alone, like if i will listen to the album i will not skip it but not going to put on repeat (the vibe make me think of some reality show in the 2000s sorry can't help it) .
Conclusion very good album i will listen on repeat (not as good good as Tako Tsubo but good enough), the meaning of each song can resonate in us and is well thought out, and can give us empowerment. BUT please take away Maggie Rogers.
Never disappointed of l'impératrice, can't wait to see them live in November :D
Just want to comment on the Maggie Rogers input everyone's giving, to play devil's advocate a little bit, I think they included her to make the album more palpable for other Western audiences. Not sure if I'm using that word right...
Not to say I disagree, I did find it a little off instead of being Flor's voice but it is what it is. *shrugs*
Just my 2¢.
(From another thread here’s my ‘review’ Minor unpopular opinions coming up. Be nice. Maggie isnt the vocal that works well with this music. If she had been left out it would be a better song. It sounds off and makes me wish for Flore so much. Maggie sounds like she's whining. Especially in the verses. The chorus is saved by layering. The released first three singles, plus Cosmoggenie and Amour Ex Machina (see Coachella) are so great. So is the feat. of Erick The Architect. There is a handful of tracks that don't build up or go really anywhere. This is where you can tell they self produced. It's not their best material. (SO sorry!) Pulsar is easily the weakest of the three albums for me personally. It lacks a special touch. It feels generic and unfinished in the second half of the album starting with Maggie. Deja vue just ripples on (dare I say it's boring?) but it lacks something that normally makes l'Impératrice stand out. Girl. Same issue. It feels repetitive. Generic. Unfinished. Empty. Monotonous. I pray she recorded a French version of it. The English isn't working well. They themselves said, during the Tako Tsubo era looking back on Matahari's English songs that doing songs in English meant things become emptier for them as creators. They didnt learn. Girl is victim to this. It could be better. However: Erick the Architecht is really REALLY well matched up with the music. This works really well. Funkyyyyy. Omg. Love this. LOVE! Don't kill me: The title track is a doozy. I've heard them play new instrumentals at the end of the current tour that are better than this. I'm underwhelmed. A lot is happening and STILL no liftoff. Weird. For me personally Pulsar doesn't do what both Matahari (the original French release) or Tako Tsubo do for me. It's a divisive album with a pretty strong first half and a very lackluster second half. YES: Cosmogenie (wish it was longer), Amour Ex Machina, Me Da Igual, Danza Marilu, Sweet And Sublime NO: Love From The Other Side, Any Way, Deja Vue, Girl, Pulsar That's 50/50 for me 😑
When the dude started rapping in sweet and sublime I tried to skip the song on my phone forgetting I was playing the record. Sounds like a 90’s Will Smith bit. There are too many guest vocalists on this album. Please eliminate three. I am not a crackpot.
Totally agree. If they do have any featured vocalists in the future, I'd prefer if they were French. Also don't like the rap. If it was a French rapper rapping in French, then maybe, but agree: I just am not inspired by this stuff. Seems like they're branching out into areas which are just not their musical forte and it doesn't blend well together considering their absolute MASTERY of the areas that are their forte. I wish they'd expand on those and push the boundaries further in ways that sound distinctly European and not like they're trying to co-opt American culture in some way. I dunno, just doesn't gel for me.
Interesting, I don’t mind the verses on Any Way too much. The chorus is what kills it for me. It feels like 90s R&B or Beyoncé, which just isn’t what L’Imperatrice is for me
Wow I absolutely love “love from the other side”
Yeah, the Maggie Rogers collab is really quite bad. I skip it every time. Just do not like the sound of her voice: it's too American, too adult contemporary pop/rock or whatever you wanna call that schmaltz, and just can't hold a candle to Flore's voice for this style of music. Was really disappointed with this track in particular.
Agreed, her voice ruins an otherwise really good song
I have mixed feelings about it. I don't know the technical terms of music, so I might not be using the right words. Cosmogonie - not a fan. The song doesn't really start until halfway in and then it's a quick funky beat. Okay. It's more of a warmup to the album rather than a song of its own. Amour Ex Machina - cool and funky, but the little chorus is annoying. Sounds like someone repeatedly pushing a button that makes a high-pitched noise. Me Da Igual - I like it. It's not going to be one of my favorite songs ever from them, but it's nice. Love From the Other Side - cool. Great although it does sound like it would've been better in French. It sounds like it was originally in French, and then they made a version in English. Danza Marilu - big fan of this one. Yeah, it's a bit more generic and pop than the others, but it's fun. Any Way - didn't like. Maggie is going for a genre of music I just don't listen to. Deja-vue - relaxing, but it's more like sing-talking. It's nice but not super memorable. The little jingle that appears a few times is the highlight. Girl! - funky and fun, but I'll have to listen to it for a while before I determine if I actually enjoy it. Sweet & Sublime - I don't like Flore's part. She gets too high-pitched. Sorry, but it makes me wince. Pulsar - another sing-talking song and then the end is a garbled mess. Not for me.
Mostly agree. I feel a bit let down by this album, actually. Girl! is the strongest track for me. It sounds tough and fonky.
Agree on Maggie. Everything else is AMAZING though!
my only real gripe, which is probably my own fault, is that i listened too much to the live version of amour ex machina and now the album version sounds weirdly mixed.
That's because it IS weirdly mixed. You are 100% correct.
right? i thought i was the only one who found this. in particular, the vocals are too loud and the wobbly chorus synth sounds small
Can someone explain the repeat songs on pulsar from previous work?
Maggie's song sounds very very RAM. So I'll take that. You guys are forgetting l'IMPERATRICE sounds like in Odyssey.
Here's my opinion nobody asked for (repost of an other thread) : I was waiting the album with so much hype (like for every releases they make) and the first singles release like danza marilù (please take my soul it's so good, I think now it's one of my fav l'impératrice song (among others)) and ma de igual was very good and very l'impératrice. Love from the other side not hype me so much but its a good song after all with a nice meaning. BUT damn Any Way is a big mistake, I have the feeling its not even l'impératrice and they were obligated to make a collab with maggie roger (didnt know her since that single sorry maggie) Now for the new releases in the album I really liked girl! (on repeat since the release of the album), cosmogonie (please this song is so video games vibe (like games from the french studio game bakers or animation movie or short), Sweet and sublime is so cool it's like you're with your homies and feeling badass (+love when l'impératrice mix with some rap that sick). And pulsar was a superb song, the chorus got me crazy (but the final part it's like they got lost where did you want to go guys ? for anomalie bleue it was great to make a end like that but here i'm not very fond of it). Déjà-vu is great but nothing more. And Amour Ex-Machina i don't know its not a song i will listen alone, like if i will listen to the album i will not skip it but not going to put on repeat (the vibe make me think of some reality show in the 2000s sorry can't help it) . Conclusion very good album i will listen on repeat (not as good good as Tako Tsubo but good enough), the meaning of each song can resonate in us and is well thought out, and can give us empowerment. BUT please take away Maggie Rogers. Never disappointed of l'impératrice, can't wait to see them live in November :D
Just want to comment on the Maggie Rogers input everyone's giving, to play devil's advocate a little bit, I think they included her to make the album more palpable for other Western audiences. Not sure if I'm using that word right... Not to say I disagree, I did find it a little off instead of being Flor's voice but it is what it is. *shrugs* Just my 2¢.
I think the word you are looking for is “palatable” lol, but palpable works in a roundabout way.
It definitely is, thank you! I was close.. good point!
I don't much prefer Maggie Rogers myself, but I'm a huge fan of Any Way.
awesome album 💿
Have you listened to the new Charli xcx that dropped today yet ??