Chromeo
Encyclopedia
Chromeo is an electrofunk duo formed in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...

, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....

, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

 in 2004.

History

Chromeo is composed of P-Thugg (real name Patrick Gemayel, born in Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...

 b. c. 1979) on keyboard
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...

s, synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...

s, and talk box
Talk box
A talk box is an effects unit that allows a musician to modify the sound of a musical instrument. The musician controls the modification by lip syncing, or by changing the shape of the mouth...

, and Dave 1 (real name David Macklovitch, b. June 7, 1978) on guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...

 and lead vocals. The two childhood friends jokingly describe themselves as "the only successful Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...

/Jewish partnership since the dawn of human culture." Patrick Gemayel was born in Lebanon and moved to Canada at the age of 8.

The duo met in the mid-1990s in high school when Macklovitch joined Gemayel's band, around the time they were both 15. During this time, Macklovitch's younger brother A-Trak
A-Trak
A-Trak is a Montreal-born DJ, turntablist, and owner of the record label Fool's Gold.- Career :...

 started winning the Disco Mix Club
Disco Mix Club
Disco Mix Club is a DJ remix service founded by Tony Prince which began as a radio show in 1981 on Radio Luxembourg in the UK. Prince helped popularise a new style of DJ mixes using the turntable as an instrument. DMC started operating as a remix service in 1983. They started producing remix...

 Championships
DMC World DJ Championships
DMC World DJ Championships is an annual DJ competition hosted by Disco Mix Club which began in 1986. The most recent instance of this competition will take place in New Orleans and in Denver TBA.-World DJ Champions:*1985 - Roger Johnson...

, becoming World Champion in 1997.

After the band, Dave 1 and P-Thugg started to produce hip hop together. Also, at this time Tiga
Tiga (musician)
Tiga is the stage name of Montreal-born DJ/producer Tiga James Sontag . His album Sexor won the 2007 Juno Award for Dance Recording of the Year.-Career:He graduated from Selwyn House School, a prestigious school in Westmount...

 was working with Dave 1 at a record store and asked Dave 1 to work on a project for his label, Turbo. Dave 1 and P-Thugg signed as Chromeo in 2001, and started creating tracks in 2002.

The debut album, She's in Control
She's in Control
She's in Control is the debut album by Canadian electrofunk group Chromeo. It was released on February 17, 2004 by Vice Records.-Track listing:*All Songs Written & Arranged By Chromeo.# "Me & My Man" - 4:19# "Needy Girl" - 4:17...

, released in 2004, defined Chromeo and started their music career. Reviews were mostly favorable, comparing the sound to 80's groups like Hall & Oates
Hall & Oates
Hall & Oates are an American musical duo composed of Daryl Hall and John Oates. They achieved their greatest fame in the late 1970s and early to mid-1980s. Both sing and play instruments. They specialized in a fusion of rock and roll and rhythm and blues styles, which they dubbed "rock and soul."...

, Klymaxx
Klymaxx
Klymaxx is a female Pop/R&B band from Los Angeles, California.-Biography:Klymaxx was conceived and formed by Bernadette Cooper, who also chose the name. The dream of an all girl band became a quest she pursued after leaving college...

 and Sylvester
Sylvester
Sylvester is a name derived from the Latin adjective silvestris meaning "wooded" or "wild", which derives from the noun silva meaning "woodland". Classical Latin spells this with i. In Classical Latin y represented a separate sound distinct from i, not a native Latin sound but one used in...

. "Needy Girl" became a world wide club hit. According to Dave 1, "She's in Control
She's in Control
She's in Control is the debut album by Canadian electrofunk group Chromeo. It was released on February 17, 2004 by Vice Records.-Track listing:*All Songs Written & Arranged By Chromeo.# "Me & My Man" - 4:19# "Needy Girl" - 4:17...

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." In 2005, Chromeo released a mix CD of funky dance tracks on Eskimo Belgium records entitled Un Joli Mix Pour Toi (A Pretty Mix For You). During early 2007 Chromeo supported indie rock group Bloc Party on their British tour.

After a three year break, they released a second album, Fancy Footwork
Fancy Footwork
Fancy Footwork is the second album by Canadian electronic/dance pop group Chromeo. It was released on June 19, 2007. Fancy Footwork spawned three singles, "Fancy Footwork", "Tenderoni", and "Bonafied Lovin'", all released on Turbo Recordings. A double CD deluxe edition was released on July 9, 2008...

, which was also positively reviewed.

The album took them on a two-year world tour performing in festivals such as Glastonbury
Glastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...

, Reading and Leeds in the UK, Fujirock in Japan, Iceland Airwaves
Iceland Airwaves
Iceland Airwaves is an annual music festival held in Reykjavík, Iceland on the third weekend of October. The festival spans five days and its main focus is showcasing new music, both Icelandic and international.-Festival:...

 in Iceland, Pemberton Music Festival in Canada and Coachella
Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is a three-day annual music and arts festival, organized by Goldenvoice and held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, in the Inland Empire's Coachella Valley...

, Bonnaroo, Rothbury Festival and Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza is an annual music festival featuring popular alternative rock, heavy metal, punk rock and hip hop bands, dance and comedy performances, and craft booths. It has also provided a platform for non-profit and political groups. The music festival hosts more than 160,000 people over a...

 in the US.

Chromeo contributed to K7
K7
K7, K07 or K-7 may refer to:* K-7 , a state highway in Kansas* Bluebird K7, a high speed hydroplane raced by Donald Campbell* Daewoo Precision Industries K7, a submachine gun with an integrated suppressor...

's mixed series titled DJ-Kicks: Chromeo
DJ-Kicks: Chromeo
DJ-Kicks: Chromeo is a DJ mix album, mixed by Chromeo. It was released on September 29, 2009 under the Studio !K7 independent record label as part of their DJ-Kicks series.-Track listing:# "Ikeya-Seki" - Kano# "J'aime danser avec toi" - Pierre Perpall...

.
In summer 2010 the track 'Fancy Footwork' was used as the sound track for a VO5 Extreme Hair Gel advertisement in the UK. The YouTube video of the original release in 2008 had over 666,000 hits by late July 2010.

Chromeo released their third studio album entitled Business Casual
Business Casual (Chromeo album)
-Deluxe Version:The Deluxe Version on iTunes features the first 10 songs of the standard album, a new track with a few remixes of "Night by Night" and "Don't Turn the Lights On," two music videos of "Don't Turn the Lights On" and "Night By Night," and a digital booklet.The Deluxe Album was released...

on September 14, 2010.

Macklovitch is currently earning his Ph.D in French Literature from Columbia University.

Their song "Don't Turn The Lights On" is featured on the video game FIFA 11
FIFA 11
FIFA 11 is the 18th title in Electronic Arts' FIFA series of football video games. Developed by EA Canada, it was published by Electronic Arts worldwide under the EA Sports label...

 exposing them to a new group of listeners. In 2011 the same song was also featured on the video game Dirt3.
Their song Bonified Lovin (Yuksek remix) is also on the video game FIFA 09
FIFA 09
FIFA 09 is the 2008 installment of Electronic Arts' FIFA series of football video games. Developed by EA Canada, it is published by Electronic Arts worldwide under the EA Sports label. It was released in October 2008 for Windows, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Wii,...

.

At the beginning of March 2011, Chromeo sent out notice that it had recorded the "world's smallest album," entitled Drive Time, which consists of 55 songs in only 183 seconds. About a week later, it was revealed that Drive Time is actually a free musical Nokia
Nokia
Nokia Corporation is a Finnish multinational communications corporation that is headquartered in Keilaniemi, Espoo, a city neighbouring Finland's capital Helsinki...

 Own Voice satellite navigation pack for Ovi Maps, made for usage with Nokia's compatible cell phones. A red vinyl 5" single consisting of regular, instrumental
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....

 and a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...

 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.

Discography

Studio albums
  • 2004: She's in Control
    She's in Control
    She's in Control is the debut album by Canadian electrofunk group Chromeo. It was released on February 17, 2004 by Vice Records.-Track listing:*All Songs Written & Arranged By Chromeo.# "Me & My Man" - 4:19# "Needy Girl" - 4:17...

  • 2007: Fancy Footwork
    Fancy Footwork
    Fancy Footwork is the second album by Canadian electronic/dance pop group Chromeo. It was released on June 19, 2007. Fancy Footwork spawned three singles, "Fancy Footwork", "Tenderoni", and "Bonafied Lovin'", all released on Turbo Recordings. A double CD deluxe edition was released on July 9, 2008...

    (#11 on Dance/Electronic Albums, #25 on Top Heatseekers
    Top Heatseekers
    Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical...

    )
  • 2010: Business Casual
    Business Casual (Chromeo album)
    -Deluxe Version:The Deluxe Version on iTunes features the first 10 songs of the standard album, a new track with a few remixes of "Night by Night" and "Don't Turn the Lights On," two music videos of "Don't Turn the Lights On" and "Night By Night," and a digital booklet.The Deluxe Album was released...

    (#70 on Billboard 200
    Billboard 200
    The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...

    , #4 on Dance/Electronic Albums, #20 on Digital Albums)


Mixed compilations
  • 2005: Un Joli Mix Pour Toi
  • 2006: Ce Soir on Danse
  • 2009: DJ-Kicks: Chromeo
    DJ-Kicks: Chromeo
    DJ-Kicks: Chromeo is a DJ mix album, mixed by Chromeo. It was released on September 29, 2009 under the Studio !K7 independent record label as part of their DJ-Kicks series.-Track listing:# "Ikeya-Seki" - Kano# "J'aime danser avec toi" - Pierre Perpall...



Singles
  • She's in Control
    • "You're So Gangsta" 12" (with Playgroup remix)
    • "Destination: Overdrive" 12" (with DFA
      DFA
      DFA may refer to:* Directory of Financial Advisers, DFA a private directory of Financial Advisers in New Zealand-Computing:* Data-flow analysis, a technique for gathering information about the possible set of values calculated at various points in a computer program* Deterministic finite automaton,...

       remix)
    • "Me & My Man" 12" (with Whitey remix)
    • "Needy Girl" 12" (with Zdar dub)
    • "Needy Girl" UK 12" (with Bloc Party
      Bloc Party
      Bloc Party are a British Indie rock band, composed of Kele Okereke , Russell Lissack , Gordon Moakes , and Matt Tong...

       and Paper Faces
      Paper Faces
      Paper Faces are British electronic music producers Adam Blake and Stuart Price. They have remixed tracks for Zoot Woman as well as other established recording artists such as Madonna, Scissor Sisters, Armand Van Helden, Chromeo and Frankmusik.-Remixography:...

       remixes)

  • Fancy Footwork
    • "Fancy Footwork" 12" (with Thomas Barfod and Surkin remixes)
    • "Fancy Footwork" UK EP (with Zdar dub and Guns N Bombs remixes)
    • "Fancy Footwork" UK 12" (with Laidback Luke
      Laidback Luke
      Laidback Luke is a Dutch DJ, producer. He was voted #46 on DJ Mag's Top 100 DJ list in 2008, before jumping to #27 in 2009 and jumping up 10 places in 2010....

       and Kissy Sell Out
      Kissy Sell Out
      Kissy Sell Out an English DJ, producer and graphic designer. Kissy Sell Out quickly gained notability in 2006 for his eccentric electro productions and energetic DJ style. In 2009 Mixmag described him as "one of the most exciting, charismatic and entertaining DJs of the decade"...

       remixes)
    • "Tenderoni" 12" (with Etienne de Crécy and Proxy remixes)
    • "Tenderoni" UK 12" (with MSTRKRFT
      MSTRKRFT
      MSTRKRFT is a Canadian electronic music duo from Toronto, Ontario. The group was started in 2005 by Jesse F. Keeler of Death from Above 1979 and Al-P formerly of the Mississauga, Ontario electropop group Girlsareshort...

       and Sinden remixes)
    • "Bonafied Lovin'" 12" (with Riot in Belgium, Les Petits Pilous and Jori Hulkkonen remixes)
    • "Bonafied Lovin'" UK 12" (with Yuksek
      Yuksek
      Yuksek is a French electronic music producer, remixer and DJ born in 1977, native of Reims, France.After playing the piano for ten years at a conservatoire, he took part in several bands such as Klanguage, whose first album was released in 2007.He created his first tracks as Yuksek in 2006 and...

      , Teenagers and Headman remixes)

  • DJ Kicks
    • "I Can't Tell You Why" 7"

  • Business Casual
    • "Night By Night" (free download with Skreak and Siriusmo remixes)
    • "Don't Turn The Lights On" 12" (with Aeroplane, Carte Blanche and Christian Martin remixes)
    • "Hot Mess" 12" (with Duck Sauce, Djedjotronic and Riva Starr remixes)
    • "When The Night Falls" 12" (with Crowdpleaser and Hercules & Love Affair remixes)
    • "When The Night Falls" EP (with Breakbot, Hercules & Love Affair, Lifelike remixes and Mayer Hawthorne cover)


Videos
  • Needy Girl, directed by: Tomorrow's Brightest Minds
  • Tenderoni, directed by: Surface2Air
  • Bonafied Lovin, directed by: Nina Nourizadeh
  • Fancy Footwork, directed by: Ben Levine
  • Momma's Boy, directed by: Stephane Manel
  • Night by Night, directed by: Surface2Air
  • Don't Turn the Lights On, directed by: Keith Schofield
  • Hot Mess, directed by: Surface2Air
  • When the Night Falls, directed by: DANIELS


Remixes
  • 2004: Cut Copy
    Cut Copy
    Cut Copy are an Australian electronic band formed in 2001 by Dan Whitford on vocals, keyboard and guitar. Other members are Tim Hoey on guitar and sampler, Ben Browning on bass guitar and Mitchell Scott on drums. Their second album, In Ghost Colours peaked at number-one on the ARIA Albums Chart in...

    : "Future"
  • 2004: Sebastien Tellier
    Sébastien Tellier
    Sébastien Tellier is a French singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is currently signed to Record Makers, a French independent record label. He sings in English, French and Italian.-Biography:...

    : "Ketchup vs. Genocide"
  • 2006: Lenny Kravitz
    Lenny Kravitz
    Leonard Albert "Lenny" Kravitz is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and arranger, whose "retro" style incorporates elements of rock, soul, R&B, funk, reggae, hard rock, psychedelic, folk and ballads...

    : "Breathe"
  • 2007: Feist: "Sea Lion Woman
    Sea Lion Woman
    "Sea Lion Woman" is a traditional American folk song originally used as a children's playground song....

    "
  • 2008: Treasure Fingers
    Treasure Fingers
    Treasure Fingers is a DJ / producer based in Atlanta USA, who is signed to Fool's Gold Records.Born Ashley Jones, in a small town in Oklahoma, is originally of the drum 'n' bass band Evol Intent....

    : "Cross the Dancefloor"
  • 2008: Surkin
    Surkin
    Benoit Heitz , known by his stage name Surkin, is a French electro DJ and producer. He gained attention with his releases on the French Institubes music label as well as a remix for Teki Latex released on Virgin...

    : "Chrome Knight"
  • 2008: Vampire Weekend
    Vampire Weekend
    Vampire Weekend is an American indie rock band from New York City that formed in 2006 and signed to XL Recordings. The Band has four members: Ezra Koenig, Rostam Batmanglij, Chris Tomson, and Chris Baio. The band released its first album Vampire Weekend in 2008, which produced the singles "Mansard...

    : "The Kids Don't Stand a Chance"
  • 2009: Tiga
    Tiga (musician)
    Tiga is the stage name of Montreal-born DJ/producer Tiga James Sontag . His album Sexor won the 2007 Juno Award for Dance Recording of the Year.-Career:He graduated from Selwyn House School, a prestigious school in Westmount...

    : "What You Need"
  • 2010: Aeroplane
    Aeroplane (Vito De Luca)
    Aeroplane is a Belgian music outfit consisting of Vito De Luca. Known for incorporating a mix of French House and Balearic Beat, Aeroplane made a name for themselves as club DJs....

    : "Superstar"
  • 2011: Mayer Hawthorne
    Mayer Hawthorne
    Mayer Hawthorne is an American singer, producer, songwriter, arranger, audio engineer, DJ, rapper and multi-instrumentalist based in Los Angeles, California, USA. The stage name "Mayer Hawthorne" is a combination of Cohen's real middle name and the name of the street he grew up on in Michigan...

    : "A Long Time"

Awards and nominations

  • 2007 Bucky Awards - Best Sweatin' to the Indies Workout Song - "Fancy Footwork"
  • 2008 Left Field Woodie – (Most Original Artist)
  • 2008 MTV Video Music Awards
    MTV Video Music Awards
    An MTV Video Music Award , is an award presented by the cable channel MTV to honor the best in music videos...

     Nominee
  • 2011 MTV Video Music Awards
    MTV Video Music Awards
    An MTV Video Music Award , is an award presented by the cable channel MTV to honor the best in music videos...

     Nominee for "Best Special Effects"

Collaborations

  • In 2006, the group was featured in DJ Mehdi
    DJ Mehdi
    Mehdi Favéris-Essadi , better known by his stage name DJ Mehdi, was a French hip hop and electro producer of mixed French and Tunisian origin.-Biography:...

    's song "I am Somebody."

  • Chromeo and Daryl Hall
    Daryl Hall
    Daryl Hall is an American rock, R&B and soul singer, keyboardist, guitarist, songwriter and producer, best known as the co-founder and lead vocalist of Hall & Oates . Hall scored several Billboard chart hits in the 1970s and early 1980s, and is regarded as one of the best blue eyed soul singers...

     of Hall and Oates teamed up in the Summer of 2008 for a jam session on Live from Daryl's House. They will be teaming up once again for a live performance at the 2010 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Manchester, TN.

Appearances

  • On October 17, 2007, they performed "Fancy Footwork" on Jimmy Kimmel Live
    Jimmy Kimmel Live
    Jimmy Kimmel Live! is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and broadcast on ABC.The nightly hour-long show made its debut on January 26, 2003, following Super Bowl XXXVII. Jimmy Kimmel Live! is produced by Jackhole Productions in association with ABC Studios...

  • On June 17, 2008, they made a second appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live
    Jimmy Kimmel Live
    Jimmy Kimmel Live! is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and broadcast on ABC.The nightly hour-long show made its debut on January 26, 2003, following Super Bowl XXXVII. Jimmy Kimmel Live! is produced by Jackhole Productions in association with ABC Studios...

    and performed "Fancy Footwork" again.
  • On November 8, 2008, they appeared on Late Night with Conan O’Brien, performing an unplugged version of "Momma's Boy" with an eight piece string section.
  • In February 2009, they appeared on Yo Gabba Gabba with an original song about washing hands.
  • On September 20, 2010 they appeared on Late Show with David Letterman
    Late Show with David Letterman
    Late Show with David Letterman is a U.S. late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. The show's music director and band-leader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is...

     performing "Night By Night."
  • On February 21, 2011 they appeared on Conan, performing "Hot Mess."
  • On March 27, 2011 they performed "Hot Mess" live at the 2011 Juno Awards.
  • On November 9th, 2011 they performed "When The Night Falls" on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
    Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
    Late Night with Jimmy Fallon is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jimmy Fallon on NBC. The show premiered on March 2, 2009, as the third incarnation of the Late Night franchise originated by David Letterman....

    .

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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