Chromeo

Chromeo is a Canadian electro-funk duo from Montreal, formed in 2002 by musicians David "Dave 1" Macklovitch and Patrick "P-Thugg" Gemayel. Their sound draws from blue-eyed soul, dance music, rock, synth-pop, disco and funk.[4] As of 2018, the band has released five studio albums.

Chromeo
Chromeo performing at the Monolith Festival in 2009. From left: David Macklovitch, Patrick Gemayel
Background information
OriginMontreal, Quebec, Canada
Genres
Years active2002 (2002)–present
Labels
Websitechromeo.net
Members
  • David Macklovitch (Dave 1)
  • Patrick Gemayel (P-Thugg)

History

The duo met in the mid-1990s at Collège Stanislas in Montreal. Speaking on their different ethnic backgrounds, the two jokingly describe themselves as "the only successful Arab/Jewish partnership since the dawn of human culture."[5]

Around the time when they were both 15, Macklovitch joined Gemayel's band.[6][7] During this time, Macklovitch's younger brother A-Trak (of Duck Sauce) started winning the Disco Mix Club Championships, becoming World Champion in 1997.[8] After the band, Dave 1 and P-Thugg started to produce hip hop music together. Also at this time, Tiga was working with Dave 1 at a record store and asked Dave 1 to work on a project for his label, Turbo. [7] Dave 1 and P-Thugg signed as Chromeo and started creating music together.

Reviews of their 2004 debut album, She's in Control, were mostly favorable. Critics compared the sound to 1980s groups Hall & Oates,[9][10] Klymaxx and Sylvester.[11] "Needy Girl" became a worldwide club hit.[12] According to Dave 1, "She's in Control didn't blow up. But we had "Needy Girl", and "Needy Girl" was like a musical passport. That song went all around the world and DJs played it everywhere". The song "You're So Gangsta" was featured as the theme tune for the PC game Space Colony.

In 2005, Chromeo released a mix CD of funky dance tracks on Eskimo Belgium records entitled Un Joli Mix Pour Toi (French for: A Nice Mix for You). In 2006, the group was featured in DJ Mehdi's song "I Am Somebody". During early 2007, Chromeo supported indie rock group Bloc Party on their British tour.[12]

Chromeo at the Bonnaroo Music Festival in 2008

After a three-year break, they released a second album, Fancy Footwork, which also received positive reviews.[13][14] Chromeo and Daryl Hall of Hall & Oates teamed up in the Summer of 2008 for a jam session on Live from Daryl's House.[15] They also performed together at the 2010 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Manchester, TN.[16]

Chromeo released their third studio album, Business Casual, on September 14, 2010.[17] As of 2020, the music video for the album's single "Night by Night" had received over 5 million views on YouTube.[18] The band has appeared on KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic,[19] been on the cover of Future Magazine,[20] and sold out The Forum in London.[21]

At the beginning of March 2011, Chromeo sent out notice that they had recorded the "world's smallest album", entitled Drive Time, which consists of 55 songs in only 183 seconds.[22] About a week later, it was revealed that Drive Time is actually a free musical Nokia Own Voice satellite navigation pack for Ovi Maps, made for usage with Nokia's compatible cell phones.[23] A red vinyl 5" single consisting of regular, instrumental and a cappella versions of "Turn Left" and "Follow" was released to promote it, with a sticker on the shrink wrap saying that it was a numbered limited edition of 40 copies.

In September 2013, the group announced their fourth studio album White Women with a trailer video featuring the track "Over Your Shoulder".[24] It was released May 9, 2014, in Ireland and May 12 elsewhere.

Chromeo performed at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival[25] in April 2014.

On November 2, 2017, Chromeo announced a new album called Head Over Heels. The first single "Juice" was released on November 7, 2017.[26] In December of 2018, Chromeo received their first Grammy nomination for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical in the 61st Grammy Awards for the album.

On May 4, 2020, Chromeo announced the launch of its own record label, "Juliet Records" via Facebook.[27]

Members

Discography
Main article: Chromeo discography

Awards and nominations
Year Award Category Work Result
2007 Bucky Award Best Sweatin' to the Indies Workout Song "Fancy Footwork" Won[33]
2008 Woodie Award Left Field Woodie N/A Won[34]
Juno Award Dance Recording of the Year Fancy Footwork Nominated[35]
2011 Business Casual Nominated[36]
MTV Video Music Award Best Special Effects "Don't Turn the Lights On" Nominated[37]
2019 Grammy Awards Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical Head Over Heels Nominated[38]

References
  1. DeLuca, Dan (August 30, 2014). "Chromeo are lords of neo-disco at Made in America". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved December 16, 2014.
  2. O'Donnell, Kevin (September 14, 2010). "Chromeo Team Up With Vampire Weekend". Spin. Retrieved December 23, 2017.
  3. Sisario, Ben (October 6, 2010). "Looking to a Sneaker for a Band's Big Break". The New York Times. Retrieved December 16, 2014.
  4. Editor, Adam Goldberg Front Page; Post, The Huffington (2014-05-14). "Chromeo Talks To HuffPost About The New Album 'White Women'". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 2016-09-16.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  5. "An Arab-Jewish Duo Unites Over Sexy Synth-Pop". Retrieved 2016-09-16.
  6. Franciscovich, Matt (30 September 2009). "Kicking It With Chromeo". Jambands.com.
  7. Joseph, Aaron (July 2007). "P-Thugg interview @ The Official Chromeo Make Up Party". MVRemix. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
  8. "DMC World Champions". DMC World DJ Championships. Retrieved 2014-08-05.
  9. vinnie baggadonuts, changed man (February 2004). "cd review CHROMEO - SHE'S IN CONTROL". tastes like chicken. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
  10. Pytlik, Mark (22 February 2004). "Album Review Chromeo She's In Control". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
  11. Telling, Gillian (26 February 2004). "Review: She's In Control". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 4 April 2010.
  12. "Chromeo". ION Magazine. 8 September 2010. Retrieved 2014-08-05.
  13. "Review: Fancy Footwork". StarPulse.
  14. "Chromeo – Fancy Footwork (Review)". URB.com. 24 July 2007. Archived from the original on 2014-01-08.
  15. Byrne, Katie (28 July 2008). "Chromeo And Daryl Hall — Yes, Of Hall & Oates — Team Up For Sure-To-Be-Epic Jam Session". MTV Newsroom. Archived from the original on 30 May 2012. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
  16. "Bonnaroo 2010 Lineup". Bonnaroo Music Festival. Archived from the original on 2014-08-08. Retrieved 2014-08-05.
  17. Chromeo YouTube Channel
  18. Chromeo - "Night By Night" Video on YouTube
  19. "Chromeo". Morning Becomes Eclectic. 30 August 2010. KCRW.
  20. "Chromeo – In The Studio With Future Music Magazine". 17 April 2011. Archived from the original on 23 April 2011.
  21. "Greenmoney Rinse Mix + Chromeo Afterparty". 23 November 2011.
  22. "Chromeo Make "World's Smallest Album"". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011. Retrieved 7 April 2011.
  23. "Nokia - Own Voice for Ovi Maps". Nokia. Archived from the original on 14 April 2011. Retrieved 7 April 2011.
  24. Chromeo New Album Trailer on YouTube
  25. "Coachella 2014 Lineup Announced". Pitchfork Media Inc. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  26. "Chromeo Teases New Single, Album in Leggy Trailer". Variance Magazine. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  27. https://www.facebook.com/chromeo/videos/252409146102492/
  28. "Chromeo Interview". Winnie Cooper. 3 November 2010. Archived from the original on 7 November 2010. Retrieved 31 March 2011.
  29. "Chromeo Bio, Music, News & Shows". DJZ.com. Archived from the original on March 29, 2013. Retrieved March 7, 2013.
  30. Jackman, Robert (July 25, 2007). "Chromeo Fancy Footwork Review". BBC Music. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
  31. "Department of French and Romance Philology - Graduate Student Profiles". Columbia.edu. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
  32. "Faculty". Barnard College. Archived from the original on 2011-03-17.
  33. Lawrence, Grant (December 19, 2007). "The 2007 Bucky Awards". CBC Radio 3. Retrieved December 16, 2014.
  34. "mtvU Woodie Awards | 2008". MTV. Viacom. Retrieved December 16, 2014.
  35. "Dion leads the Juno pack". Edmonton Journal. Postmedia News. February 6, 2008. Archived from the original on February 19, 2015. Retrieved December 16, 2014.
  36. "2011 Juno Award Winners". Tribute. Retrieved December 16, 2014.
  37. "Best Special Effects Nominees". MTV. Viacom. Archived from the original on September 25, 2011. Retrieved December 16, 2014.
  38. "2019 Chromeo On 'Head Over Heels' And Doing It Analog". Recording Academy. Retrieved February 12, 2019.
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