Fox Theater

L’Impératrice’s debut album arrived in 2018 with all the pomp and circumstance of a coronation. “Impératrice” is French for “Empress”, and if their moniker is the most difficult thing to grasp for anglophones, then musically there’s nothing that doesn’t translate. The Parisians draw from a range of genres, from 70s space disco to downtempo 90s synth pop, taking in French film composers like François de Roubaix and Michel Legrand along the way. “Albums that sold 500 copies in the 1970s are the records that interest us most,” they say. Matahari is a glittering, cinematic summation of six years hard work that draws on some of the finest found sounds and forgotten sonic fandangos hiding in crates across the land, all given L’Impératrice’s own inimitable 21st-century twist.

Then came a first glimpse of the long-awaited album in 2017 -with ‘Erreur 404’ -a lead single that juxtaposes silky, almost simplistic French synthpop with a barbed lyric (the deliciously impertinent “bon voyage imbécile” line is a highlight). L’Impératrice make writing radio-friendly earworms look easy, and the French have been voting with their feet in a positive way, both on the dancefloor and at gigs. A show at La Cigale, a 2,000 capacity venue with an illustrious history in the 18eme arrondissement of Paris, recently sold out within two weeks.

Subtle yet majestic, L’Impératrice have a bright future in the republic, though if the six-headed beast is to become real French musical royalty then they’ll have to watch theirtêtes. In fairness, Boisseguin hasn’t put a foot wrong since he threw in the day job six years ago. If L’Impératrice’s stealthy rise to pre-eminence has all been part of the plan at home, then you wouldn’t rule out la domination du monde being on the cards in the future.