Chromeo

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."

Around the time when they were both 15, Macklovitch joined Gemayel's band. During this time, Macklovitch's younger brother A-Trak (of Duck Sauce) started winning the Disco Mix Club Championships, becoming World Champion in 1997. 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. 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, Klymaxx and Sylvester. "Needy Girl" became a worldwide club hit. 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.

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

Chromeo released their third studio album, Business Casual, on September 14, 2010. As of 2016, the music video for the album's single "Night by Night" had received over 3 million views on YouTube. The band has appeared on KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic, been on the cover of Future Magazine, and sold out The Forum in London.

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. 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. 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.

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

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

Members

Discography