The Band That Everyone Should Be Listening To

Chromeo describes itself as “the only successful Arab/Jewish collaboration since the beginning of time.” That type of humor is typical for Dave 1 (David Macklovitch) and P-Thugg (Patrick Gemayel), best friends since childhood. They are perfect musical compliments for each other. Dave 1 plays guitar and sings lead vocals while P-Thugg rocks the keyboards, synthesizers, and harmonizes with Dave 1 through his talk box. At first glance, one would find it hard to believe that the lanky and stylish Dave 1 is an undergraduate professor at Columbia (with a Ph.D. in French Literature) and that the chiller than chill Thugg is an accountant. However, when night rolls around, these two French-Canadian electro-funk wizards put on their gear (Thugg: gold grill; Dave: leather jacket) and bust out some of the hardest, funkiest grooves known to man.

The pair released their debut album, She’s In Control in 2004, which gave us the first sweet taste of synth-pop, infectious hooks, witty sarcasm, and an intoxicating brew of Madonna, Prince, and Rick James. The introductory track, “Me & My Man” sums up their intent: “this is the new sound, we came to get down, our name is Chromeo, and we are in control.” They sum up the importance of not living too seriously: “I want to get away, from the problems of the world today, me and my man on a plane, fly away to a better place.” That “better place” is surely the dance floor of a club or Dave 1’s bedroom. The lyrics also suggest that one of them was at the wrong end of a nasty breakup, but never before have breakups been so easy on the ears. “Rage” and “Needy Girl” call out past lovers, but glisten and sparkle with intense, layered synthesizer riffs and driving beats that groove to the core. Yet, despite the indulgent appeal of She’s In Control, there is a lack of emotional control and album coherence. The dark and heavy beats feel confined and calculated, and the instrumental tracks don’t contribute to any coherent theme.

CHROMEO: Needy Girl (Wide HQ) from Freedom Factory on Vimeo.

Chromeo’s sophomoric effort, Fancy Footwork, was released in June 2007. The guys take things in the direction of techno-pop, smoothing out their hooks and opening up their beats, which gives the album a funkier, more danceable feel. Instead of being distorted or nonexistent, Dave 1’s voice takes center stage, giving the music a personality that was lacking on many of the tracks on their previous album. It’s clear that Chromeo wants to keep the music as light-hearted as possible. Fancy Footwork is full of novelties. This is evident when Dave 1 calls P-Thugg for advice in an exchange at the end of “My Girl Is Calling Me (A Liar),” and a frustrated girl tries to remember a phone number during a break in the song “Call Me Up.” Chromeo still find discussing breakups necessary (“100%”), but insist on giving a woman the treatment and satisfaction she deserves (“Bonafied Lovin’ (Tough Guys)”). The band has a notable dedication to perfection on this record, not unlike Steely Dan or Hall & Oates (not coincidentally Thugg’s favorite bands).

Chromeo - Tenderoni from Vice Records on Vimeo.

Chromeo does not suffer from a sophomore slump. They use She’s in Control as a stepping-stone in the construction of their tightly crafted sonic experience, fashioned out of the legacies of their 70’s and 80’s funk and soul forefathers. Fancy Footwork is not going to be remembered in the books as a musical milestone, but it makes you want to get up out of your chair and dance until your feet get sore, which I think is a greater musical achievement.