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Chromeo are an electro-funk duo from Canada, consisting of David “Dave 1” Macklovitch and Patrick “P-Thugg” Gemayel. To date, the pair have released four studio albums, but Head Over Heels marks their fifth album and debut release with our pals over at Atlantic Records.
The first I knew of Chromeo, was their remix of Maroon 5‘s ‘Wait’ (as featured on our re:MIXTAPE playlist), so I must be forgiven for not having heard much of their back catalogue. However, taking this album at face value, it is a strong release with a stunningly contemporary take on disco and funk music.
Having worked together for the past 15 years, it’s clear to see that these guys have perfected their sound, which is a perfect amalgamation of modern, electro-pop music with synth-driven disco and bass-slapping funk.
This is certainly an album that doesn’t take itself too seriously – it’s intentionally fun and funky, with its saucy innuendos and genre-perfect production qualities, the likes of Giorgio Moroder and Nile Rogers would be proud of.
The album kick-starts with the tantalising ‘Must’ve Been’ (featuring DRAM) – a slap bass, groovy-guitar, vocoder-infused anthem, that excellently demonstrates what’s in store throughout the rest of the record.
With the music up and a house to yourself (…or packed with friends), there really will be no holding you back!
Other memorable moments include the wonderfully repetitive ‘Don’t Sleep’ (featuring French Montana and Stefflon Don) with its laid-back 80s vibes and sensational vocal harmonies, whilst ‘One Track Mind’ is an understated yet seriously catchy track consisting of beautiful talk box, vocal melodies towards the end – it’s very similar to something you might hear by Charlie Puth.
Meanwhile, ‘Bad Decision’ is all about splashing the cash on a girl and has a definite Prince-esque vibe to it; high-pitched vocals on top of some superb little guitar riffs and ‘Right Back Home To You (Interlude)’ is a track you can get surprisingly hooked on – think funky soul meets jazz lounge, topped with sweeping high-pitched vocals; there’s a real 70s quality to it.
Towards the end of the album, it all comes together on the two-part, ‘Bedroom Calling’. Part One is a truly anthemic mellow jam with atmospheric, reverb-driven bass notes and slow drum beats, whilst Part Two (featuring The-Dream) is a much more upbeat, pop tune that is oozing with shimmering synths.
To those who say quality disco music doesn’t get made any more, I would simply reply, “Chromeo”. This is definitely not an album you can listen to without, at the very least, bobbing your head and tapping you toe, but in reality, with the music up and a house to yourself (…or packed with friends), there really will be no holding you back!
Rating
‘Head Over Heels’ is out now and can be downloaded from iTunes – https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/head-over-heels/1380944674
Head Over Heels on Spotify
Must’ve Been featuring DRAM (Official Video)
Juice (Official Video)
We hope you’ve enjoyed this review! What do you think of this duo’s latest record? Does it fulfil all your funk needs or leave you wanting more? What would you rate it? Please leave your thoughts in a comment or via our social media.
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