Topic and carteblanche Chase the Last Light of Summer on “Lucky Ones”

Topic has spent the last few years pushing deeper into Afro and Latin-leaning territory, but “Lucky Ones” feels like a turn back toward the emotional dance music that first put him on the map.

Made with newly formed duo carteblanche, the track starts from a more indie-pop place before opening into something warmer and more expansive. The synths stretch wide, the hook lands easy, and underneath it all is that familiar mix of movement and melancholy Topic has always handled so well.

There is also a real sense of escape running through the song. No agenda, no pressure, just disappearing somewhere with the right people and letting the day unfold. It feels like one of those records made for the final weeks of summer, when you know the season is almost gone and you are trying to squeeze a little more life out of it.

After “TIK TAK,” “Sorry Papi,” “Missing You,” and his rework of “Right Here, Right Now,” “Lucky Ones” shows another side of where Topic is heading next. Less focused on the club, more focused on the feeling.

Sometimes going forward starts with remembering what made everything click in the first place.