Artists You Should Know: Dive into the Enthralling Music of French-Afropean Duo DjeuhDjoah and Lieutenant Nicholson

French-Afropean duo DjeuhDjoah and Lieutenant Nicholson create funkily-electro-driven mixes of continent-hopping melodies, mingling everything from afro beats to bossa nova with rhapsodic joy. Their latest single “Tu veux briller” jubilantly careens between their love of elusively groovy and elated instrumentals. With three albums to their name, the pair have pieced together a wealth of soundscapes that traverse a diaspora of sound across Europe, South Africa, the Caribbean, and beyond.

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In their dual expansion of French pop, DjeuhDjoah serves as the project’s primary melodist and songwriter, while Lieutenant Nicholson architects their rhythmically entrancing tracks. On “Tu veux briller,” that enigmatic brilliance takes the form of buoyantly giddy riffs that bounce elastically alongside synth textures.

As horns spiral in the background the duo trade vocal duties in edging the whole thing toward a luminous rejoice that stirs both the soul and the feet into kinetic exhilaration. You won’t make it through the song without finding yourself hopelessly spellbound by its enthralling melody.

Last year saw the arrival of DjeuhDjoah’s and Lieutenant Nicholson’s monumental third album 2+. A collection of 15 funky tracks that span the sprawl of influences they coalesce around. But underneath all the refulgent and dreamy dance jams that celebrate an eclectic array of musical identities and cultures, the duo tackles a laundry list of turmoil as well.

From the effects of the climate crisis that simmer through on the electro-ruminations of “Coeur béton” and “Planète” to bold rebukes of police brutality on “Police.” One engaged their music — made all the more enchanting by its melding of magical horns and keys — you’ll find it near impossible to pull away from it.