Chromeo
She's In Control

THE REVIEW

Looking for something danceable, a bit flashy but with style? Beneath the indigestible veneer formed by cheap starlets and old, overdone divas beyond all good taste and ridiculousness, the current pop scene offers many enticing options, and among those that stand out the most for originality and quality of proposal are Chromeo, a curious Canadian-flagged duo consisting of keyboardist Patrick Gemayel and singer-guitarist Dave Macklovitch, known in the art as P-Thugg and Dave 1, respectively; they humorously self-define as the only case of a successful Arab-Jewish collaboration in history; I don't know if that’s true as they claim, but you can't deny that these electrofunk standard-bearers know their stuff: only three albums published from 2004 to date suggest a desire to do things well, without succumbing to the rules and frenzied rhythms of the show-business, and this may have closed the door to massive success despite their recognized status as pillars of their genre and various more or less prestigious collaborations.

It’s important to note that Chromeo’s is not just club music, it’s excellent pop, refined and creative: clear evidence that with ingredients like synthesizers, electronic bases, samples, vocoders, and other trendy artifices, it’s possible to create something truly fun, positive, and enjoyable to listen to, not just plastic and trash; the debut "She's In Control," dated 2004, remains the most inspired example of Chromeo-style. "Needy Girl", a successful single elsewhere but not in our area, showcases Dave 1's crystal-clear vocal class, whose spoken/sung style adds a touch of class to the whole record and a pulsating rhythm base absolutely perfect, expertly enhanced with synth touches and some scratch, a song that in its genre borders on perfection, but that's not all. The album offers several variations on the theme, such as "Woman Friend", which in sound vaguely recalls the old Motown school, with a futuristic touch given by Dave 1's voice modified to sound a bit thinner and higher than normal, a kind of bizarre helium effect, the robotic and wavering "Way Too Much" or a "Mercury Tears" bordering on a certain psychedelic effect. "Rage!" presents itself as the closest to a rather "bossy" R'n'B style, if it weren't for an unexpected far-out and over-the-top chorus, which once again uses vocal effects with great style, while "Destination: Overdrive" showcases interesting rock contaminations with quite edgy drums and guitars, which perfectly contrast with a fluid base.

In the "She's In Control" roster, the proposals most strictly dancefloor-oriented are "Ah Oui Comme Ca", which in its progress vaguely recalls the classic "Le Freak" by Chic, revisited in a minimal key and enriched by very atmospheric synth layers, and the fun funky groove of "You're So Gangsta", where the voice is well replaced by a sax. However, the top is the fantastic "Me & My Man", with a hypnotic and obsessive base of clear new wave lineage and a mantra-like chorus that also serves as a programmatic manifesto alternating with an almost hip-hop bridge with very futuristic-tasting keyboards, a splendid crossing of styles and a great example of class and creativity, qualities Dave 1 and P-Thugg have in abundance, and that have led them to develop their own rich, interesting, well-defined, and recognizable sound. Chromeo's electrofunk is something very fun, fun and stylish, ideal for a casual and alternative listen; abstain from backward trombones and fifteen-year-old rockers, this record mocks preconceptions and mental hurdles, it's simply great music, enjoy it!