Like The Hold Steady, Chromeo are another band who I assume have ‘made it’ in the states (based on the coverage I see over here), and yet I’ve yet to meet a single Brit who knows them. Clearly I need some more friends, but the point remains…
Someone told me they were hip hop, but no hip hop I’ve ever heard has a robot singing. Wikipedia tells me they are electrofunk, which matches what I am hearing, but also sounds like a completely made up genre.
Posted here are a few of my faves. First up is Fancy Footwork, the title track from their new album. For some reason it reminds me of West End Girls. That has more to do with the fact that I haven’t heard any Pet Shop Boys for a while than it does with what the song actually sounds like. It kicks off like some happy hardcore anthem, but quickly falls into that good old, uh, electrofunk.
Next up is Needy Girl, which shows where they got the funk part of that genre before. If you’ve ever heard of Chromeo before, this will probably be the song that you’ve heard. It also has a bridge in which he talks on the phone to his (needy) girlfriend. Make of that what you will.
Finally, there is something for people who do know, and like Chromeo, and want MORE. From the Vice Gets Incestuous EP, it is the Bloc Party remix of Needy Girl. Smartly, they leave much of the song unchanged, and just boost the, uh, electroness. Although it does have a nice, slow-build intro, that makes it sound a bit like Dreadlock Holiday.
Chromeo – Fancy Footwork [MP3 Removed]
Chromeo – Needy Girl [MP3 Removed]
Chromeo – Needy Girl (Bloc Party Remix) [MP3 Removed]
I’m a Brit and I’ve heard of them and like them! I love ‘Call me up’, it makes me laugh as well as being damn catchy!
Actually…my fav is ‘My girl is calling me (A liar), that’s the one that makes me laugh. And loving the Vocoder!
[...] Some Music, Recent Decent, Parallel Worlds, mp3 — Paul Newman’s Eyes @ 6:30 pm After that Chromeo post, I realised I hadn’t ever actually spoken about the Vice Gets Incestuous EP that the remix [...]
I’m from NY and I have to say not so much Americans knows about them either. Definitely not on MTV and the radio here. Defnitely not hiphop…. well, at least not the kind post-80’s… Electrofunk describes it reasonably well… Every song sounds like they unapolegetically recorded over many archetypal 80’s r&b/pop song, thus very familiar yet not exactly as sampled. Their 80’s pop music vocabulary is mind bogglingly sophisticated.
Just saw them live over the weekend. Much better than you’d expect from 2 guys. Not in a typical Pet Shop Boys singer/keyboardist format though. They both rock multiple instruments very well and sing. Great presense and entertaining personalities.
If you ever see them, please don’t mosh to it. It’s music to make love to, not get violent to…
I’m also in the UK. I only discovered Chromeo by accident after hearing Fancy Footwork on a myspace profile. I bought the album immediately. I’m surprised that they haven’t got a mention by pop justice, given that this stuff is getting popular over here with all the 80’s vibes coming from Calvin Harris and the like.
im an aussie and iv heard of lot of these guys. there not exactly the sort of mainstream bands that get pumped out on the radio or mtv but i believe that is a great thing. im suprised more people havnt heard of them because pretyy much all my mates know them and love them. check out modularpeople.com and the artist such as CUT COPY (aussies), VAN SHE and NEW YOUNG PONY CLUB, who are all with the same label as Chromeo
Chromeo continues you rock the New Zealand funk scene!! Much to my liking Chromeo hasnt found its way onto popular tv or radio, but every cool kid is blastin’ it.
I live in England and am a huge 80s fan. I heard Bonafide Lovin’ at the weekend (my first exposure to Chromeo) and I loved it. The moment I heard it I sad “that’s electrofunk”.
I’m 35 so I remember when electrofunk was around the first time. Originating from America, a great example (if you can find it) is a band called “The System” (Mic Murpohy and David Frank). Chromeo clearly love the original electrofunk because they’d duped that feel so well. However, their flavour is, of course, faster than 80s electrofunk. And better for it, I say.
Well, ineed i feel that you do need some more british friends, as i am obsessed with them, and britsih.
i think you’ll find that their gener will vairy from site to site, but if you look at their myspace it says that they are 2 step, but i think that thei rmusic will vary across a wide selection of ganres.
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